


The Voice

by Aeon_Wolf



Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: F/F, Imagine Chloe Beale on the Voice, The Voice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-17
Updated: 2017-01-15
Packaged: 2018-08-31 12:36:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 30
Words: 101,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8578798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aeon_Wolf/pseuds/Aeon_Wolf
Summary: Chloe Beale gets the chance to audition on the NBC hit show, The Voice. Desperate to kick-start her music career, she wants to get her best chance of winning. Just one little thing standing in her way. Professional DJ, producer and recording artist, Beca Mitchell is one of the coaches. Will her crush on Beca get in the way of her musical dream? FemSlash Bechloe. The Voice AU. Reupload from FFN.





	1. Blind Auditions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song(s) used: Titanium - David Guetta

Chloe Beale stood backstage waiting to go on in front of the judges nervously. Her manager, Tommy, had been able to secure her a spot on the hit TV show,  _ The Voice  _ for Season 9. She knew that this could be her chance to really turn her music career around. Before this, she had been flitting around Los Angeles, working small sports bar gigs and other minor venues, trying to make a name for herself. But unfortunately for Chloe Beale, it was a hard industry to break into. So when she had been given a chance to get onto  _ The Voice,  _ she jumped to take it. 

Weeks of scrambling through hoops to even get here were about to pay off. She had been meticulously interviewed by the producers and executives, performed a number of auditions in front of them to make sure she wouldn’t humiliate herself on live television and a number of other things, including having to sign a dehumanizing contract that allowed the network to basically do what they wanted with her. But while Chloe didn’t exactly like what she had to sign onto, she was desperate to kick start her music career. The exposure the show provided, especially if she was good, was too enticing to pass up. 

So here she was, ready to go on to turn the judge’s chairs. She was aiming to turn all four judges, but that wasn’t exactly an easy feat. However, Chloe was optimistic that it was a real possibility if she played her cards right. She had done her research on the Season 9 judges, and she likes the prospects, but she wasn’t sure still who she wanted as her coach, depending on who wanted her of course. 

There was Adam Levine, frontman of Maroon 5. She wasn’t sure she wanted to go with him. It wasn’t because she didn’t like the artist, quite the opposite in fact. She adored Maroon 5, but Adam’s singing wasn’t really her style. However when Chloe thought about it more, maybe that would be a good thing for her. She did want to grow as a singer, and a coach who had a different style could help her broaden her horizons. 

Then there was Blake Shelton. He was well known for leading his team to victory, winning four of the previous seasons. But Chloe didn’t just want to win, she wanted to get better, to improve her belt. Blake seemed like a nice guy, but as a country singer, she didn’t know if that was where she wanted to go. Although once again, she knew that there was more to Blake than just country. There had to be if he’d won  _ The Voice  _ so many times. 

Of course, she could also go with Aubrey Posen, well known for her endeavors in a cappella in her college years, and she eventually went into the music scene, recording with some world renowned artists. She had some serious talent, and although it was rumored that she was a strict, fun-sucking, control freak, Chloe still wanted to keep an open mind to the possible things that Aubrey could give her. 

And then that left Beca Mitchell, professional DJ, producer and recording artist. Out of the four judges, Beca had one of the most colorful careers, not to say that the others didn’t. Beca just did a lot of things. Maybe it was because Chloe paid more attention to Beca’s career than she did the other judges. She knew she was harboring a little crush on the brunette artist, but she couldn’t help it. Everything she had read about Beca made her like the woman a little bit more, even though they had never met. Beca was the kind of blunt, genuine, professional girl that let everyone know that she didn’t care what they thought of her. She was extremely loyal to her fans, continually releasing tracks and mixes that she thought her fans wanted, along with all the other stuff that she recorded and released.

It didn’t help that the miniature recording artist was absolutely gorgeous, at least in Chloe’s eyes. She had a number of piercing and tattoos if the magazines she was featured in were any indication. Chloe would never admit this, but she had spent hours looking at images of Beca Mitchell. She just couldn’t help herself. She dreaded the moment if/when she would need to pick a coach. She didn’t know if she could bring herself to pick Beca. She wanted to, but she couldn’t let her feelings get in the way of her career, as much as she wished they could. 

“You’re on in five Beale.” The stagehand told her. She nodded, too nervous to actually say anything. The show host Carson Daly had told her earlier to not worry, that most contestants were extremely nervous prior to going on stage, and that once she got there, she would be entirely fine. She would be caught up in the thrill of performing in front of an audience and the judges. 

Thoughts started racing through her head. What if she messed up the song? Forgot the words? Tripped on stage or got tangled up in wires. There were a million things that could go wrong. She started to psych herself out before Tommy placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked over at him. He gave her an encouraging smile. 

“You’ll be alright Chloe. Those judges would be crazy to not want you.” Chloe nodded. 

“But what if-” Tommy cut her off. 

“Don’t think about the what if’s Chlo. It’ll only freak you out. Just feel the music, like you always do. You’re a brilliant performer. Don’t let it get to you.” Chloe smiled and pulled Tommy into a hug. 

“Thanks, Tommy, you always know how to calm me down before a performance.” She said sincerely. Her manager chuckled.  

“That’s my job, Beale. I have to keep your head in the game. Otherwise, my job will be ten times harder. Who would want to try to book an artist that freaked out before she even got on stage?” Chloe laughed and shook her head. 

The stagehand walked up to Chloe and Tommy. “You’re almost on Ms. Beale. If you could take you spot?” Chloe nodded, gave Tommy another quick hug and followed the stagehand to the entrance. 

The stage was dimmed, as she walked on, the judge's chairs turned away from her. She was still a little nervous looking into the audience, who was watching her expectantly. Quiet filled the room as the band behind her started the intro to her song. 

**You shout it out,  
** **But I can't hear a word you say  
** **I'm talking loud, not saying much  
** **I'm criticized but all your bullets ricochet  
** **You shoot me down, but I get up**

Grasping onto the mic stand for the first verse, she sang with emotion and depth. There were a few cheers from the audience as they realized what song she was singing.  _ Titanium _ had been one of her favorite songs, for more than one reason. It was her lady jam after all, but more than that, she loved the emotion and musicality of the David Guetta song. Unbeknownst to her, Aubrey Posen and Beca Mitchell were glancing at each other while their chairs were still turned to the audience; seeming to dare each other to turn their chair first, but neither of them was going to until they heard a little more of the soft, yet emotion-filled voice of whoever was on stage. Pulling the mic out of the stand, Chloe started the chorus. 

**I'm bulletproof, nothing to lose  
** **Fire away, fire away  
** **Ricochet, you take your aim  
** **Fire away, fire away**

Turned, facing the audience in his chair, Adam cocked his head to the side as he heard the passion in the singer’s voice, and hit his button to finally lay his eyes on the singer. Chloe noticed that Adam had turned his chair and she wanted to be ecstatic, but she knew that now wasn’t the time if she still wanted to turn all the chairs. She still pointed at Adam with a smile, and he nodded right back at the redhead. 

**You shoot me down but I won't fall  
** **I am titanium  
** **You shoot me down but I won't fall  
** **I am titanium**

With the second part of the chorus, Chloe started to belt out the words, as she walked around the stage, trying to get the audience engaged and interested in her. With the sudden burst in volume without losing quality in her singing, which got even more passionate, both Beca and Aubrey immediately hit their buttons to turn around and see this singer. Beca was immediately taken with the pretty redhead, although she admired the girl for her singing, not just her looks. Her performance was on point too. During the break in the words, she was jumping and pumping her arm in the air to get the audience excited, and as Beca glanced around, she could see that they were indeed responding to the redhead. 

Chloe was brimming over with happiness when both Beca and Aubrey turned their chairs, all she needed to do was turn Blake and she would have a four chair performance. Her eyes briefly met Beca’s, who was watching her intently. She would have blushed but was already so red from the warmth of the stage and lights that her face was as red as it would probably get. 

Wanting to ramp up her performance, she started to sing with even more passion, managing to hit some notes that she usually didn’t try, although she knew she had the ability. She wanted to impress the judges already watching her and manage to get Blake to press his button. 

**Cut me down  
** **But it's you who'll have further to fall  
** **Ghost town and haunted love  
** **Raise your voice, sticks and stones may break my bones  
** **I'm talking loud not saying much**

With a nod of his head, Blake finally pushed his button and turned to see the redhead. The audience went crazy, screaming. Chloe could feel the adrenaline pumping as she saw Blake turn and the audience scream for her. Chloe always had a very bubbly personality, so she used that to her advantage to get the audience to respond to her performance. She looked as comfortable on stage in front of hundreds of people, not to mention several seasoned recording artists, as a long time performer. 

**I'm bulletproof, nothing to lose  
** **Fire away, fire away  
** **Ricochet, you take your aim  
** **Fire away, fire away**

With the second chorus, Chloe started to bring it down a little, as she was closing out her performance. She slowed the tempo slightly, but not too much to lose the hype that was buzzing around her. She grasped the microphone with one hand and the stand in the other. 

**You shoot me down but I won't fall  
** **I am titanium  
** **You shoot me down but I won't fall  
** **I am titanium  
** **I am titanium  
** **I am titanium**

With her final line, she leaned her head to the side, hand grasping the mic, elbow bent outwards, leaning the mic stand over with one of her hands to finish. As the audience cheered for the redhead and the judges clapped, Chloe finally had a chance to take inventory of how she was feeling. She loved being on stage in the middle of it all. She was feeling like she could conquer anything. She got all four judges to turn around and she had shared a look with Beca. Albeit a short one, and while Chloe knew it wasn’t anything to really celebrate about, as she shared looks with all the judges, she couldn’t help but be more excited about that one.=

“Wow. You are one powerful little singer.” Adam stated. “What’s your name?” Chloe took a breath, making sure she wasn’t going to forget her own name. 

“Chloe Beale.” Adam nodded. 

“Well Chloe, I can’t speak for my fellow coaches here, but I for one thoroughly enjoyed your performance. You know, when you’re sitting in this chair, you never know what to expect. We’re going on what we hear in you. And then you hear something great and turn around to see what kind of performer that person is. I mean, you look as comfortable up on stage as any of us.” He looked over at his fellow artists, who all nodded in agreement. He looked back up at Chloe. “With that being said, I want to work with what you already have and make it better.” 

Chloe nodded at Adam. “I appreciate that Adam.” She looked over at Aubrey Posen, who was sat next to Adam, to see what she was going to say. 

“Adam is right, you’ve got something special. You’ve got this incredible voice and amazing stage presence. You were commanding the audience’s attention. That can’t just be taught. That’s something that great performers are born with, and you’ve got that Chloe. I’m going to give you everything I’ve got to make you a top notch performer and singer.” Beca snorted and Aubrey glared at her. Chloe covered her mouth to keep from giggling. It was no secret that Beca and Aubrey were rivals in everything and this was going to be no different. “Oh, and you think you can do better Mitchell?” Aubrey questioned. Beca raised an eyebrow. 

“I don’t think it Posen, I know it.” Beca looked up at Chloe. “As my fellow artists have pointed out, you have a great voice and an even greater performance ability. You’re a rare find, Chloe.” Chloe’s heart fluttered hearing this from her celebrity crush, but she knew she couldn’t let it get to her. “What my fellow artists want to do is take what you have, and make you better. I want to do that, but I also want to help you with your weaknesses. We all have them, and it takes a stronger performer to bring up their weak points instead of just focusing on their strengths.” Chloe nodded at Beca. That was really what she wanted, as she had pep talked herself backstage. A coach who would help her broaden her horizons. Then she turned to Blake and waited for him to say something. 

“Firstly, before I try to woo you to my team,’ the audience, as well as Chloe, laughed, ‘where are you from little lady?”

“Atlanta, Georgia.” A gleam came into Blake’s eye as Adam groaned. 

“You just had to be from the South, didn’t you.” Adam complained as Blake just laughed. Aubrey and Beca just looked at the two men. Chloe looked a little sheepish.

“Guilty as charged.”

“Well, I am sort of from your neck of the woods Chloe. Not that that should be the reason you should pick Team Blake. From the sound of your voice, you sound more like a sort of pop/rock gal’ am I right?” Chloe nodded. She did prefer to sing mainstream songs, although she did have the ability to sing other things; that was where her heart was. Upbeat, happy songs to match her bubbly, optimistic personality. “Well, I may be a country singer, but let me just remind you that I’ve won this show four times.” Adam groaned again. 

“No one cares about your record Blake.” The audience was amused by the antics between the two men. They always argued over things. Most likely because they had been judging on  _ The Voice  _ since the beginning. And this season with the rivalry between Aubrey Posen and Beca Mitchell being added, it was shaping up to be an interesting competition season. 

Adam cleared his throat. “Well, Chloe, who do you pick as your coach?”

Chloe started to have a small, internal panic attack. The audience were yelling names at her. She heard a lot of Blake and Adam, but she knew that neither man was who she would go with. If she was honest with her heart, she knew she wanted to go with Beca. But thinking back to her pep talk, she was worried that her girl crush on Beca would get in the way. Not to mention it would probably make practice with Beca kind of awkward if Chloe kept having urges to check the brunette out. 

But she couldn’t help it and really wanted to go with Beca. “This is such a hard decision, I love all of you so much.” Blake sat back in his chair, while Adam was leaning over his podium, seemingly begging Chloe to pick him. Chloe glanced over at Aubrey, who was looking at her intently, her arms still crossed. And then there was Beca, looking at her with soft eyes. Chloe’s heart jumped at the way Beca was looking at her, but she snapped herself out of it. 

“I had this all planned out, what I wanted to do. But now I just..” She stopped hesitantly, as she saw Adam nod his head at her gently as if to encourage her to finish her thought. 

“It’s such a hard decision, but I think..” She paused. 

“I think I’m going to go with..”   
  
“Aubrey Posen.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, for those of you that were wondering, yeah. This is a reupload. As I've just recently joined AO3, I wanted to transfer some of my most successful stories from FFN to here. I know a lot of people really hate FFN, so I wouldn't want to deprive you of this monster. That being said, if you just can't wait for me to upload here, it is there, complete. 
> 
> I'll be uploading a chapter a day and since it's fully completed, that won't be a problem. All in all this story was much longer than I had initially planned, growing from an intended 40-50k words to over 100k. So there will be plenty of story for you to enjoy. 
> 
> A disclaimer or two. I don't watch The Voice. That being said, I've tried to capture the essence of the show best I could. I did leave a few things out like celebrity appearances and performances. They don't add much to the substance of the story at all. The iTunes recording thing also is ignored for this story. 
> 
> I've also learned through trial and error on FFN, that song lyrics in stories are not some people's cup of tea. Keeping this in mind, I will be including them. I've found, also over time, that it's much more engaging as a reader to listen to the songs as you read. Or at least listen to the song as you read the lyrics. It makes it that much more interactive. So I created a playlist with all the songs: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0Rf0NIx89ow6iZt9AURyG-Pqp5IMpNzo
> 
> As I said, I highly encourage utilizing this resource. It makes the story that much more real. 
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy this one. It is one of my favorite stories that I've written. And one of the best received as well.


	2. Day One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chloe Beale gets the chance to audition on the NBC hit show, The Voice. Desperate to kick-start her music career, she wants to get her best chance of winning. Just one little thing standing in her way. Professional DJ, producer and recording artist, Beca Mitchell is one of the coaches. Will her crush on Beca get in the way of her musical dream? FemSlash Bechloe. The Voice AU.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song(s) Used: 
> 
> Immortals/Centuries Mashup - Fall Out Boy // Mashup mixed and performed by Kurt Hugo Schneider and Sam Tsui.  
> One More Night - Maroon 5  
> All Of Me - John Legend

With her coach chosen, Chloe Beale now moved into the Battle Rounds. She would be coached by Aubrey for the next week or two before she was paired up with another performer from Team Aubrey. They would choose a song to perform together and battle it out in the performance ring. The coaches would share their thoughts on both artist’s singing and then their coach would pick who was to move on to the Knockout Rounds. 

The first day after all the Blinds were done, all contestants met at the studio to meet their team, meet others on the other teams and start training with their coaches. Chloe almost skipped into the studio. She was still kind of high on the Blind Auditions. She was one of the few artists that managed to have a four chair performance; the only others in the bunch were Stacie Conrad and Jesse Swanson. Conrad had chosen Adam as her coach. She was a bit unorthodox of a performer; having a powerful voice and being very sultry and sexual in her stage presence. It worked for her nicely, though. Swanson, on the other hand, had gone with Aubrey as his coach. He seemed like a nice enough guy, but he always had this cocky and overly smug look plastered on his face. It kind of rubbed Chloe the wrong way, but she tried her best to ignore it. After all, she would eventually be competing against him, if not the Battle Rounds, then most likely in Knockouts. That is if both of them advanced that far. 

The coaches were spending the morning rehearsing for their performance, allowing the contestants to mingle and get to know each other. Even though they were all technically rivals for the prize, it was a tradition on  _ The Voice  _ to spend most of the first day just getting to know other performers and making friendships. Not to mention the networking opportunities when contestants started getting eliminated.  

Chloe was watching the judges rehearse a mashup that Beca had pulled together for their coaches’ performance that was going to be shot in front an audience soon. She couldn’t help but be entranced by Beca’s singing skills. She knew from her research that Beca wasn’t a singer by trade. She initially just wanted to be an LA DJ, putting together mixes and spinning tracks at the best clubs in LA. But once she relocated her life to California, she had caught the eye of music producer and recording artist Pharrell Williams, and her career shot off. Williams had seen something in Beca that he liked, and he helped her break into the business. She was well documented for expressing her gratitude to Pharrell for giving her a chance, and she was noted to still be good friends with the artist, taking his spot on  _ The Voice.  _

**You will remember me, for centuries  
** **(Immortals, we could be immortals)  
** **You will remember me,  
** **remember me, for centuries  
** **(Du-du-du-du-du-du-du)  
** **Immortals, immortals**

Listening to Beca and Aubrey harmonize, made Chloe realize how talented both these women were and if wasn’t for their bitter rivalry, they could make some amazing tracks together. Their voices complimented each other, Aubrey’s soprano and Beca’s lower alto. She felt someone tap her shoulder and she turned to see Jesse Swanson staring back at her, with a goofy grin on his face. 

“Hi, I’m Jesse.” He held his hand out to her to shake. She smiled at him and took his hand. He had a firm grip; he nodded at her, silently asking her to introduce herself. 

“Hi Jesse, I’m Chloe.” She said as she let go of Jesse’s hand. 

“So.. Team Aubrey, eh?” Chloe nodded. She didn’t know why she made that exact decision really. It was almost a spur of the moment decision. She had wanted to choose Beca, but her fear of her feelings getting in the way outweighed picking the short brunette as her coach. Aubrey was the next best choice for her and so she went with it. Chloe was often impulsive, something doing things without really thinking about them.

“Yeah, I know she’s got kind of a nasty reputation, but I feel with her motivation, she’d probably be the coach to get the most done. She does seem like kind of a control freak, though.” She glanced over at Aubrey who was lecturing Beca on god knows what. Beca just looked bored, nodding once in a while to give the illusion that she was still listening, rolling her eyes every once in a while. 

Jesse shrugged. “She’s the best, though. I mean, she’s recorded with legendary artists.” 

‘There’s more to being the best besides performing with the best.’ Chloe thought to herself but didn’t voice her opinion. She couldn’t deny that Aubrey was extremely talented. But she was finding herself slightly biased towards a certain brunette producer/DJ/singer. “Yeah, she has. I think I’m just looking to make myself better, you know?” Jesse nodded. 

“Yeah, I know what you mean. We’ve all got stuff to work on. Some more than others.” Chloe noticed Jesse glanced over at some of the other contestants, especially Stacie and Benji. It offended Chloe that he was making presumptions about their fellow artists, especially when he hardly knew them, but again; she kept her mouth shut. She didn’t want to risk putting her foot in her mouth. So instead she just shrugged her shoulders. 

“Well, best of luck to you!” She said happily. And she meant it. As much as she wanted to win, she also wanted all her fellow artists to get as much out of the competition as they could. 

“You too, maybe I’ll talk to you later Chloe.” 

“I’m sure you will, we’re on the same team after all.” Jesse gave Chloe a wink and then scampered off to meet some of the other contestants. 

Chloe turned her sights to some of the other contestants. She noticed Stacie standing by herself, so she all but bounded over to the sexual singer. She waved and then held out her hand. “Hi, I’m Chloe.” Stacie smiled and shook Chloe’s hand. 

“Hey, Chloe. Stacie. I managed to catch your performance, you are an excellent performer. You had the audience wrapped around your little finger.” Chloe slightly blushed at the compliment. 

“I suppose, but you’re really good as well! The audience was fixated on you the entire time.” Stacie chuckled. 

“Yeah, but that’s because they were attracted to watching me perform. I know it. I’m familiar with my body and know how to use it.” Chloe laughed. 

“Yeah, you sure do.” Stacie raised an eyebrow and smirked. 

“I’m guessing I had you captivated as well. See anything that interested you?” Chloe blushed and shook her head. 

“Just admiring. I can appreciate a beautiful female when I see one.” Stacie laughed.

“I like you, Beale.” They chatted for a little bit about what their music career had been like. Stacie freely admitted that her music experience was about at the same level as Chloe’s. She mainly booked what she could get, and hadn’t yet been discovered. She hoped that  _ The Voice  _ would get her the exposure she needed. Chloe could definitely relate to that. 

As the two were chatting, Beca and Aubrey continued arguing while Blake and Adam just watched them, amused. “When do you think they’ll let up?” Blake whispered to Adam, who just shrugged his shoulders. “You think we should stop them?” Adam shook his head.

“Let them get it out, it’ll be a hellish day if they don’t.” Blake thought about that and quickly agreed. 

“Come on Mitchell, get your head in the game.” Beca rolled her eyes. And Aubrey huffed. She hated it when people didn’t cooperate with her. Beca Mitchell especially. 

“Let it go, Posen. We’re not expected to be perfect at our first rehearsal. Let’s just get back to it.” Aubrey relented and they started again. 

**Mummified my teenaged dreams,  
** **no there’s nothing wrong with me.  
** **The kids are all wrong,  
** **The story’s all off  
** **Heavy metal broke my heart**

Aubrey begrudgingly had to admit Beca Mitchell had a stellar voice, even if she was a grade A pain in the ass. She was a strong singer; if only she cared more about being perfect. 

**Come on, come on and let me in  
** **The bruises on your thighs like my fingerprints  
** **And this is supposed to match  
** **The darkness that you felt  
** **I never meant for you to fix yourself**

This particular part was Adam’s and although he performed well, Beca couldn’t help but wonder why Posen only ever nitpicked on her. She never did it to Blake or Adam. 

**Oooooooh  
** **I am the sand in the bottom half of the hourglass (glass, glass)  
** **Oooooooh,  
** **I try to picture me without you but I can't**

Blake had a different style in his voice than the other three coaches, but it synced perfectly with them. He had a more raspy, and for lack of a better word,  _ country, _ voice. While Beca and Adam had a more alternative rock-ish feel, and Aubrey was more pop-country. But all four coaches knew how to make their voices work together, and for all the contestants that were watching them rehearse; they could only hope that they would reach that level someday.

**'Cause we could be immortals, we could be immortals  
** **You will remember me  
** **Remember me for centuries  
** **(Immortals, we could be immortals)  
** **You will remember me,  
** **Remember me, for centuries**

Hearing the familiar voice of the judges all harmonizing drew Chloe’s attention over to them again. Again her eyes were drawn to Beca who was easily melding her voice into the other judges to create the dynamic that they did. It was mesmerizing, to watch these famous recording artists in their element altogether, even with the rivalry between Beca and Aubrey, they managed to bring it together to deliver a spectacular performance anyways. 

That afternoon was mostly spent with their coaches, going over how the next couple of weeks would run and what each singer was going to be working on. Aubrey brought her team all together before meeting with them individually. All the members of Aubrey’s team, including Jesse and Chloe, gathered around to hear what Aubrey was going to say. 

“Hey guys and girls, as you know, I’m probably going to be your coach for the rest of your stay here on  _ The Voice.  _ Now, I’m sure all of you have questions, but rest assured I’m going to give you my all to get you into the finals. I have faith in all of your singing abilities.” Chloe hated the diplomatic bullshit of the behind the scenes of reality TV. Everyone knew that the coaches were responsible for the Battle Rounds, and who advanced. She may have faith in everyone, but ultimately she would have faith in one person over the other, whoever gave her the chance to one up Beca Mitchell. But Chloe would be damned if she didn’t give it her best try to be that person. Even though the thought of being used as a.. tool in the rivalry between Aubrey and Beca wasn’t too tasteful for Chloe. 

“For the rest of the day, you’re free to do what you want around the studio while I spend time with each of the contestants. When I’m ready to meet with you, I’ll come find you.” Her team collectively nodded in understanding. She looked at her roster. “Chloe Beale? You’re up first.” Chloe nervously swallowed, preparing herself. Jesse gave her a gentle nudge towards Aubrey. She approached Aubrey as the rest of the team went their own ways, some mingling with other team members, and others going off on their own to singles coaching studios to work on their singing.

* * *

 

For the next few days, Aubrey slowly made her way around her team, working with each of them individually on certain things that they either needed to improve or things that she thought would help carry them to finals. 

Chloe actually didn’t see much of Aubrey after their initial meeting. Aubrey was true to her word and wanted to help her improve her already stellar performance skills, as with shows like  _ The Voice, _ performance was everything. You could have the most beautiful voice in the world, and if you were a boring performer, no one would spare you a second glance. Aubrey’s confidence in Chloe’s abilities boosted the redhead’s confidence in herself tenfold. She had never been a particularly self-conscious person. She had an overly happy personality, and she was extremely confident about her body. She knew that her sense of personal boundaries was a little warped, but she tried to resist the urge to be a creep as much as possible. Things that she found completely normal, others found weird about her. But even so, the confidence of a famous recording artist does wonders for your self-esteem.

It was different with Aubrey. The few times they had met, Aubrey was completely open and willing to work with Chloe to help strengthen her skill set. She understood that Aubrey had multiple other contestants, not to mention rehearsals with the other coaches and her own recording career on top of working with her. She didn’t really fault Aubrey for not working with her twenty-four, seven.  

The few times Chloe did see Aubrey outside their coaching sessions, the redhead usually was in a solo studio working on her range. She often saw Aubrey with Jesse, it seemed to Chloe that Aubrey spent a lot of time with Jesse, but she was hardly in a place to judge that. It was probably just a coincidence that she saw the blonde with Jesse all the time. She just had to trust the Aubrey knew what she was doing. She genuinely liked the blonde performer. She wasn’t as bad as everyone said. Yeah, she did like being in control and having things perfect, but at the same time, she was a kind person and really did care. 

Today was no different. Chloe decided to work in one of the solo studios, practicing hitting the high and low notes, and being able to hold them longer. 

**So I cross my heart and I hope to die  
** **That I'll only stay with you one more night  
** **And I know I said it a million times  
** **But I'll only stay with you one more night**

Beca heard a familiar voice when she was walking past one of the solo studios on set. She couldn’t help but smile, listening to Chloe’s powerful singing voice. The girl was really talented, made her wish that Chloe had picked her as her coach, and not Posen. But what’s done was done. That, however, didn’t stop her from silently opening the door, finding Chloe’s back facing her. She leaned up against the doorframe and listened to Chloe experiment with her high and low notes on the Maroon 5 song. 

**Try to tell you "no" but my body keeps on telling you "yes".  
** **Try to tell you "stop", but your lipstick got me so out of breath.  
** **I'll be waking up in the morning, probably hating myself.  
** **And I'll be waking up, feeling satisfied but guilty as hell.**

“You know, you should stop looking up when you try to hit you high notes. The notes aren’t actually physically any higher. They originate from the same place as all your other notes.” Chloe whirled around at the familiar voice to see Beca up against the doorframe, smiling at her. She blushed when she realized that the DJ had been listening to her sing.

“How long have you been standing there?” Beca shrugged.

“Not too long, just happened to hear that powerful little voice of yours and wanted to check it out for myself.” Chloe blushed a little darker shade of red. The idea that Beca Mitchell had been listening to her sing still gave her butterflies. Obviously, she had sung in front of her at Blinds, but at the time, Chloe was focusing on more than just Beca, although the brunette was at the forefront of her mind.

“Oh, well thanks for the tip.” Beca nodded. 

“No problem. Like I said at Blinds, you’ve got some serious talent, but it’s important that you also focus on the weaknesses, even if they are a little nitpicky. Oh God, listen to me, I’m turning into Posen, nitpicking at contestants. Please feel free to stop me anytime.” Chloe giggled. 

“It’s alright. I appreciate it.” Beca smiled. She wanted to hear more of the redhead’s singing if she was completely honest with herself. She couldn’t really fathom why Chloe was Aubrey’s girl. If anything, helping Chloe was putting Beca herself at a disadvantage against Posen, but she liked Chloe’s genuine interest in bettering singing and not just winning, so she decided to anyways. 

“Do you mind letting me listen to you sing some more? I can try to give you a couple more pointers since Posen seems to absent at the moment.” Chloe’s eyeballs bulged a bit. Her celebrity crush wanted to help her? She slowly nodded. 

“What do you want to hear?” Beca shrugged and stepped into the small studio. She pulled up a stool next to Chloe.

“It’s up to you, anything you want to sing.” 

To say she was nervous was an understatement. Chloe’s nerves were shooting up. She had never minded personal boundaries herself, but having Beca so close to her was a little unnerving. It made it a little difficult to think. But a song did pop into her mind. 

**What would I do without your smart mouth  
** **Drawing me in, and you kicking me out  
** **You got my head spinning, no kidding, I can't pin you down  
** **What's going on in that beautiful mind  
** **I'm on your magical mystery ride  
** **And I'm so dizzy, don't know what hit me, but I'll be alright**

Beca was a little surprised at Chloe’s song choice. From what she gathered of the perky redhead, she preferred to stick with upbeat, pop songs. So the choice of this particular John Legend song took her a little by surprise. However, Chloe’s spin on his song definitely fit her and Beca didn’t know why Chloe didn’t perform more songs like this, granted she had only heard Chloe actually sing twice. So maybe Beca was getting ahead of herself. She hardly knew anything about Chloe. 

**My head's underwater  
** **But I'm breathing fine  
** **You're crazy and I'm out of my mind**

**'Cause all of me  
** **Loves all of you  
** **Love your curves and all your edges  
** **All your perfect imperfections**

**Give your all to me  
** **I'll give my all to you  
** **You're my end and my beginning  
** **Even when I lose I'm winning  
** **Cause I give you all of me  
** **And you give me all of you, oh**

 

Chloe finished the first verse and chorus of the song. She slightly surprised herself with the choice, but it was kind of how she was feeling and it was her way of letting her emotions out without really saying anything. Chloe always sang better when she was truly feeling the emotions behind the song.

“Posen was right to pick you, Chloe. You’ve got something special in your voice. You are really passionate and convicted to your music. It’s sometimes hard to believe you’re not a professional recording artist, at least to me.” 

Chloe furiously blushed and started playing with her thumb ring, and if Beca noticed, she was tactful enough to not mention it. But Chloe was ecstatic that Beca thought that about her. “That’s why I’m here, isn’t it?” Chloe blurted out, before realizing what she said. Beca just laughed. 

“Yes, I suppose you’re right. But anyways, I need to get back to coaching. A tip though Chloe? Practice a wide variety of genres, tempos, and moods of songs. It’s great to have a go-to song style, but widening your scope to have at least the ability to sing a large variety of styles will make you a better singer overall. Things you learn from a John Legend song you can incorporate into a David Guetta song when you get familiar enough with the styles.” Chloe nodded. 

“Thanks for the advice Beca.” Beca smiled and nodded as she stood up and left the small studio. As Beca exited, Aubrey turned up. She glared briefly at Beca before knocking on the studio door. Choe turned again to see Aubrey standing there. 

“What was Mitchell doing here?” Chloe shrugged. 

“Heard me singing and gave me a few pointers.” Aubrey furrowed her brow but didn’t say anything. 

“Ah. Okay, well I came looking for you. Battle Rounds start next week, and you’re going to need to prepare.” Chloe knew about the Battle Rounds. She was going to be paired up with someone from Aubrey’s team. They’d need to pick a song to perform together and the coaches would decide who moved on to the Knockout Rounds. 

“Who am I paired up with?” Chloe asked nervously. There were some strong singers on Aubrey’s team. Whoever she was paired with was going to make her work for it. 

“We’ve decided to pair you with Jesse Swanson.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How do you think Chloe will hold out against Jesse? Just wait and see. 
> 
> Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0Rf0NIx89ow6iZt9AURyG-Pqp5IMpNzo


	3. Battle Rounds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song(s) Used:
> 
> Stay the Night - Zedd ft. Hayley Williams  
> Style - Taylor Swift // Cover by Travis Atreo

The following day after Aubrey had told Chloe she was going to be battling Jesse, the redhead sought out the other singer. She found him practicing alone when she knocked on the door to the studio he was singing in. He turned around to see Chloe and smiled widely at her. 

“So, you and me huh?” Chloe nodded.

“I guess so. How has your training been going?” 

“It’s been going pretty great. Aubrey is a really great coach. She’s been helping me with my style and performance. Although I’d assume you don’t have much to work on with performance. You’re already an amazing musician.” 

“I suppose so. I’ve mainly been working on my singing, to be honest. You know; range, my high notes, harmonizing, that kind of thing.” Jesse nodded. 

“I know what you mean.” 

“So.. You have an idea of what song you want to do for the battle?” Jesse pulled a crumpled up piece of paper out of his back pocket. 

“I thought about some possibilities, but since we’re both going to be performing, we obviously need to agree on what to sing.” He held the paper out to Chloe. She took it from him and skimmed the list. She saw names like Jason Derulo, Imagine Dragons, and P!nk on the list but one song, in particular, stood out to her. 

She pointed to it and showed him. “How about this one?” Jesse nodded in agreement. 

“I’m down for that. You want to get started arranging and practicing this now? Our battle is coming up pretty soon.” 

“Yeah, the more time we get into preparing, the better we’ll sound,” Jesse smirked.

“Yeah, but even if we’re spending more time together, don’t expect me to take it easy on you Chloe.” She faked looking offended.

“I’m ashamed you’d even think that I’d want you to. Or that you’d need to Swanson.” She batted his arm and the two laughed. But amongst the bantering between the two, they both knew that someone was probably going home soon.

* * *

 

The next week Jesse and Chloe spent most of their studio time together, preparing for the Battle Rounds. Chloe had to admit that she was a little nervous to go up against Jesse. He was a great singer, and from what she gleaned from her rehearsals with him, Aubrey spent a lot more time coaching him than she did with Chloe. 

She had spent some time with the blonde outside her practices with Jesse. Aubrey was starting to work with her on harmonizing perfectly with other people. She and Aubrey had spent a few hours making sure that Chloe could harmonize with both male and female voices, to meld their voices together like two puzzle pieces that just fit together. 

Aubrey had watched Chloe and Jesse practice for their battle, and she was proud of both performers. Although in moments she had alone, Aubrey sometimes wondered why she had signed onto  _ The Voice.  _ She knew that Mitchell was going to be the other new coach and that her rivalry with Beca was going to put stress on them. But she had decided to do it anyways. And she still had to reluctantly admit that Beca was a very talented and multifaceted performer. She just prioritized different things than Aubrey and it made them go head to head quite often. 

She actually had people ask her what was going on between her and Beca. A lot of people thought that the two hated each other. That wasn’t quite the case. Aubrey didn’t hate Beca, they had their differences, but hate wasn’t the right word. What a lot of people didn’t know was that she and Beca had rubbed shoulders in college. They butted heads even then, and it translated into their post-college lives. If Aubrey was honest with herself, she was irritated that Beca had been picked up by Pharrell fairly early into her career and had an easy way into the music world, when the blonde had put her blood, sweat and tears into it. But she’d never admit that to anyone. 

**I know that we are upside down  
** **So hold your tongue and hear me out  
** **I know that we were made to break  
** **So what? I don't mind**

Harmonizing with Aubrey wasn’t the easiest thing she had ever done, but she had done what she thought was a pretty damn good job. Aubrey’s voice was slightly higher than hers, but their voices did compliment each other pretty well. 

**You kill the lights, I'll draw the blinds  
** **Don't dull the sparkle in your eyes  
** **I know that we were made to break  
** **So what? I don't mind**

Aubrey was always continually being impressed with Chloe’s singing ability. They had spent some time on her deliverance of her performances, but they mainly spent time on the redhead’s singing, since that’s where she needed the most work. And even then, Aubrey didn’t have as much to work on with Chloe as she did with some of her other team members. Aubrey often wondered to herself why no one had noticed Chloe before.

**Are you gonna stay the night?  
** **Are you gonna stay the night?  
** **Oh oh oh, are you gonna stay the night?**

**Are you gonna stay the night?  
** **Doesn't mean we're bound for life  
** **So oh oh oh, are you gonna stay the night?**

“That was a good go Chloe. You ready to take a break before your rehearsal with Jesse?” Chloe nodded. She and Aubrey had been working on her low pitch harmonizing. It was hard work, but she was getting the hang of it. 

“You mind if I ask you a question?” Chloe nodded. “What made you want to get into music? I mean, you’re a great singer, but why, what made you do it?” Chloe was surprised by the question. She had never really put much thought into it. 

“I don’t really know. I never really thought about it I guess. Music has always been a big part of my life. It helped me through some difficult times, and I guess I always wanted to give back to the world that gave me so much.” Aubrey nodded in acknowledgment. 

“Well, I believe in you, Chloe. You’re going to bring something special to the music world. I can just tell.” Chloe grinned at her coach. 

“Thanks Aubrey, that means a lot, coming from you.” Aubrey placed a hand on Chloe’s shoulder. 

“I mean it, you’re going to be the next big thing. Now, I believe you’ve got a song to work on.” Chloe nodded and scampered off to find Jesse.

* * *

 

It was the night of the Battle Rounds and Chloe was fidgeting around with the hem of her shirt while she was waiting for her and Jesse’s turn. Her battle partner walked over to her.

“Calm down Chlo, are you always this fidgety before performing?” Chloe quickly nodded. “It’s hard to believe, to be honest. You’re a strong performer and your voice has gotten better since we started. You’ve got nothing to worry about, if anything, you’re giving me a run for my money.” He chuckled. 

“I always get psyched out before shows I guess, too much nervous energy.” Jesse wrapped an arm around Chloe’s shoulder. 

“You’ll be great, you’ll see.” The stagehand wandered over to them and told them they were almost up. Jesse motioned for Chloe to go, following right behind her. Chloe could hear Carson Daly introducing them. 

“Up next from Team Aubrey is.. Chloe Beale and Jesse Swanson!” Chloe walked out, Jesse close on her heels, both smiling and waving at the audience. Stepping into the stage ring, Jesse on the left and Chloe on the right, Carson introduced their song. “Performing  _ Style  _ by Taylor Swift, this Round 2 battle starts right now!” The audience cheered, and Chloe could hear a few people shout out “Go, Chloe,” or “Go Jesse.” 

The lights dimmed and focused on the stage as their music came on. 

**Midnight, you come and pick me up  
** **No headlights  
** **Long drive, could end in burning flames or paradise  
** **Fade into view, it's been awhile since I have even heard from you  
** **I should just tell you to leave cause I  
** **Know exactly where it leads but I  
** **Watch us go round and round each time**

Jesse took up the first verse. As he sang, Chloe simply stood to the side. Chloe and Jesse had both decided that they wanted to mix up the song a little bit. While they weren’t going to remix it or anything, they both decided that they wanted to slow it down a little and go for a little more of an acoustic feel. So as Jesse stood mic in hand, the audience started waving their arms back and forth at the slowed down pace. He eventually pointed at Chloe, as the audience turned their attention to the redhead. All four judges were watching intently at the battle. 

**You got that James Dean daydream look in your eye  
** **And I got that red lip classic thing that you like  
** **And when we go crashing down, we come back every time.  
** **Cause we never go out of style (style)  
** **We never go out of style (style)**

When Jesse had handed her his list of possible song choices, she didn’t really know why this one stuck out to her. It might have been because she liked the message in the song, complicated relationships and all that. But on the other hand, she might have picked it just because she loved Taylor Swift. Whatever the reason, she and Jesse had spent the last couple weeks working on putting their own spin on the song, while still keeping that same passion in the song that would make even Taylor Swift proud. 

**You got that long hair, slicked back, white t-shirt.  
** **And I got that good girl faith and a tight little skirt,  
** **And when we go crashing down, we come back every time.  
** **Cause we never go out of style (never go out of style)  
** **We never go out of style (out of style)**

Jesse took over the second part of the chorus, while Chloe added her own harmonization to it. She was glad that Aubrey had been working on her with harmonization. She hadn’t previously had too much experience with it, but even listening to herself sing with Jesse, she had to admit they sounded good together. Their performance together was going pretty well too. They had learned to play off of each other on stage, and so they were interacting, both trying to make the audience hyped for their performance. 

**So it goes  
** **He can't keep his wild eyes on the road  
** **Takes me home  
** **Lights are off, he's taking off his coat  
** **I say I heard that you been out and about with some other girl  
** **Some other girl  
** **He says, what you've heard it's true but I  
** **Can't stop thinking about you and I  
** **I said I've been there too a few times**

Chloe’s softer and higher voice was a change from Jesse’s deeper one for the second verse. While the male was a soprano, he was still obviously different than Chloe’s singing. The judges were listening and observing the pair. Aubrey was closely watching both of them, even though her mind was mostly made up about who she was going to pick, she still wanted to give both competitors a fair chance to change her mind. Beca on the other hand, she was watching Chloe’s performance closely. Ever since their little impromptu meeting a few weeks ago, she had been interested to see how her singing had grown. She had to say that she was impressed. She had managed to meld her voice right into Jesse’s voice while they were harmonizing. And now that she was singing alone, she could admire the redhead’s voice; soft yet powerful. 

**Cause you got that James Dean daydream look in your eye  
** **And I got that red lip classic thing that you like  
** **(And when we go crashing down, we come back every time)  
** **Cause we never go out of style  
** **We never go out of style**

This time Jesse took the lead in the first part of the chorus. Now that they were further into the song, Chloe was adding her harmonizations even more into the song, and Jesse would be doing so as well. Aubrey was proud of both singers, they both took to singing and performing like naturals. It really did pain Aubrey to have to knock one of them out, but ever the pragmatic woman, she knew who she was going to pick; who her logical choice was. 

**You got that long hair, slicked back, white t-shirt.  
** **And I got that good girl faith and a tight little skirt,  
** **And when we go crashing down, we come back every time.  
** **Cause we never go out of style  
** **We never go out of style.**

Chloe felt confident about her performance as the song wound to a close. The audience was silent, but waving their arms back and forth to the song as Jesse and Chloe sang. A few even had their cell phones out, their screens letting off a little light. Chloe had always been one to pick upbeat, happy songs that got the audience pumped up. Singing a slower rendition of the Taylor Swift song was a change for her, but looking out into the audience, she really liked what she saw. This was why she loved performing and singing; to look at her audience and see them swaying and dancing to the music she was producing. 

**Take me home  
** **Just take me home  
** **Just take me home**

Both Jesse and Chloe added their voices to this, and all four judges took notice of how well both musicians combined their voices to create a unique sound that all four of them loved to hear. It was the sound of two singers, equally having a passion for their craft and truly enjoying their time on stage. 

**You got that James Dean daydream look in your eye  
** **And I got that red lip classic thing that you like  
** **And when we go crashing down, we come back every time.  
** **Cause we never go out of style  
** **We never go out of style**

This last chorus, both performers knew this was their last chance to prove that they deserved to stay. They both put all their passion and emotion into their singing. Neither one of them wanted to be the one sent home that night. 

As their song ended, the audience burst into cheers and all four of the judges clapped along with them. “That was a round two battle, between Chloe and Jesse, representing Team Aubrey!” Carson Daly announced as Chloe and Jesse took a breath. They both stood on stage, apprehensively waiting for the judges to say something. 

“Wow Aubrey, that was great. I’m going to give you a minute to take stock and see if your fellow judges can help you out.” Aubrey nodded. “Adam, what did you think?”

“I knew from the beginning that both of you are extremely talented and strong singers. You two both know how to deliver a show-stopping performance.” He slightly turned to Jesse. “You, my man, have a very soulful voice, you’ve got the emotion to back that up.” Then he focused his attention on Chloe. “While this little ball of fire over here has one of the strongest female voices I’ve ever heard. What you have is special, you know your harmonizations and how to make your voice fit in wherever it can. It takes some of us years to get that down. Personally, I’d probably go with Chloe.” Chloe’s fans in the audience hooted and cheered for her. Chloe smiled appreciatively at Adam. 

“Thank you so much Adam.” He nodded with an encouraging smile. 

“Thank you, Adam. Blake, your thoughts?” Carson prompted. 

“I definitely agree with Adam that Chloe, you have this talent for harmonizing.” Chloe blushed. She had been working so hard on that particular skill, and to have two coaches compliment her on something that she once struggled with, was very flattering. “You’re a very emotional and passionate singer, you force your listeners to notice you. And Jesse, you have this ability to continually play off of others, even while they are performing. You look comfortable up on stage like you were born to be there. Both of you had an amazing night tonight, and I don’t think anyone would contest that.” The crowd cheered for both artists as Blake finished his comments.

“Beca.” Carson prompted as she was the last coach to say something. Chloe unconsciously took a deep breath as the small DJ spoke. She really wanted Beca to love her performance. 

“I think both of you have something really special about you, both of you have skills that can’t be taught You seem to be natural performers; from day one both of you had this natural ability to wrap the audience around your finger. So I really think it all comes down to your singing. Jesse, I can definitely tell you’ve been working on your range, it’s great to hear your voice really hit those difficult notes.” Jesse nodded. “And Chloe, you’ve still got all this raw emotion in your voice that you’ve always had; from the first time I heard you sing. It’s nice to hear that you haven’t lost that, while just continually striving to get better.” 

“Alright, thank you Beca. Aubrey, the final decision is yours.” The audience clapped while everyone in the studio waiting in anticipation on what the blonde was going to say. 

“First off, I just want both of you to know that I’m extremely proud of both of you. After working with both of you guys, I know how much time and effort you’ve put in to make your voices better. Chloe, we’ve been working on harmonization a lot recently, and I’m really glad to hear your voice truly fit with Jesse’s. It seemed natural to me for your voice to be present. Jesse, we’ve been working on expanding your range, and that really showed tonight with your singing. It’s really hard for me to make this decision between you two. You’re both stellar artists.” Chloe and Jesse glanced at each other, then looked back at Aubrey. 

Aubrey sat in contemplation for a moment. She was really tempted to change her mind on who she was going to keep, but her pragmatic mind was still telling her that her original choice was the right one. Chloe and Jesse both heard their names being called out from the audience, trying to influence Aubrey. But they both knew that Aubrey wouldn’t be swayed by anyone. 

“The winner of this battle is..” Chloe and Jesse both held their breaths. “Jesse.” 

Jesse let out a little cheer of victory, before turning to Chloe and pulling her into a giant hug. The redhead wasn’t entirely shocked Aubrey chose Jesse, but it didn’t make the loss sting any less. She embraced Jesse, still dejected, however before she had a chance to truly process, she heard a voice speak up. 

“If Posen is letting her go, I’m stealing her.” Chloe’s head shot up. Beca Mitchell was smiling, with a gleam in her eyes. The crowd went wild at the statement. 

“Oh, it looks like we’ve got a steal on our hands!” Carson announced. Chloe’s eyes widened. She hadn’t expected anyone to want to steal her, never mind Beca. It didn’t escape her notice that Aubrey stiffened slightly, and clenched her fists as Beca smirked at her. The rivalry between the two performers was strong. 

“Well, with that ladies and gentlemen, it looks like both Chloe and Jesse will be moving on to the next round!” The audience cheered loudly as both performers walked towards their coaches. Chloe, however, wasn’t listening as her eyes were fixed on Beca, butterflies fluttering around in her stomach as those stormy blue eyes met hers. The DJ got up to greet her newest contestant. “Welcome to Team Mitchell.” She said with a smile. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pretty sure that was pretty predictable all things considered. But as you do. 
> 
> Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0Rf0NIx89ow6iZt9AURyG-Pqp5IMpNzo


	4. Chloe's New Coach

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Song(s) Used: Photograph - Nickelback  
> Counting Stars - One Republic

Chloe was backstage, mind still reeling about what happened a few minutes ago. Beca Mitchell stole her; Chloe Beale. She didn't really know how to feel about it. On one hand, she was ecstatic that she was going to be moving into the next round, and she was elated that Beca was the one to steal her. But her initial worries about her feelings were still rearing their ugly heads were still around. She was worried that she would let her crush on Beca slip and it would make things awkward between them. For god's sake, this was Beca Mitchell, she was an international music sensation. She didn't even know if Beca was interested in women. Beca kept her private life, just that; private. There wasn't much information on her beyond her musical career.

But now the small DJ was her coach. And she would probably be spending at least a little time with the other woman. Chloe couldn't help but feel a little intimidated by her, which didn't really make sense because Aubrey Posen was much scarier than Beca Mitchell. But she couldn't help her feelings. She was frightened that her feelings would get in the way. At best she was hoping that she might become friends with Beca, but even that was probably a stretch. She probably had more important things to do with her time than hang out with the perky redhead. But Chloe still hoped.

During a break, Beca wandered over to Chloe and sat down next to her. "Hey, there champ. How are you holding up?" Chloe looked over at Beca with a wide smile. Without really thinking about it, she threw her arms around Beca and hugged her tightly. Beca hesitantly wrapped her arms around the redheaded singer. But when breathing became a problem she tried to wriggle out of her grasp. "Air, I need air." Chloe immediately let go and blushed furiously. She bit her lip, embarrassed that she, once again, forgot about personal boundaries. Beca noticed her embarrassment and laughed.

"It's okay Chloe, I was just unprepared for that." Beca smiled reassuringly at Chloe.

"Sorry, I just.. Thank you." Beca wrapped an arm around Chloe's shoulders.

"Hey, don't worry. Posen was stupid for letting you go. Anyone with ears can hear that you've got something special, something that can't be replicated. No matter how much Ms. Perfect tries to, Jesse won't ever match you." Chloe blushed at the compliment. She still wasn't used to people praising her singing, and to have both Beca and Aubrey have so much faith in her was reassuring. And a little scary. She didn't want to let either of them down.

"You won't regret saving me Beca," Chloe said confidently. Beca laughed.

"I'm sure I won't. I picked you up because I know what you're capable of. You deserve the chance to show the world. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some more contestants to judge." Beca winked, stood up and walked off. As Beca left, Jesse took her spot.

"Lucky break eh?" Chloe nodded.

"Yeah, super lucky." Jesse grinned.

"I guess that means you and I will be seeing each other again on stage."

"I guess so. But don't think that means you'll beat me as easily." Jesse bumped her shoulder.

"I wouldn't dream of it."

* * *

Moving on to the next round was almost surreal to Chloe. She knew she came close to being eliminated by Aubrey, and she resolved to never let that happen again. She was going to prove to everyone that she deserved to stay on _The Voice._

The day after Battle Rounds, a bunch of contestants congratulated her on her save. Some believed that she really did deserve to stay. But others just attributed her save to the fact it was Aubrey that dropped her and Beca just loved to push the blonde's buttons. But in the back of Chloe's mind, she knew that wasn't the case. She was the only one Beca had saved from elimination, and she was not the only one from Aubrey's team eliminated that night.

Beca was currently busy with another contestant, so Chloe was in a studio, practicing. She was taking Beca advice and working on different songs, to widen her exposure.

**Look at this photograph,**  
**Every time I do it makes me laugh.**  
**How did our eyes get so red,  
** **And what the hell is on Joey's head?**

Chloe was infamous for singing the bubblegum pop music, but listening to herself sing the Nickelback song, she was considering switching up her tune a little. After playing with her sound, she found that she had a voice for some more edgy music.

**And this is where I grew up,**  
**I think the present owner fixed it up.**  
**I never knew we'd ever went without,  
** **The second floor is hard for sneaking out.**

Chloe was hoping that Beca was going to have some more pointers for her. In fact, despite her crush and fear of her feelings, she was looking forward to spending some one on one time with the brunette.

**And this is where I went to school,**  
**Most of the time had better things to do.  
** **Criminal record says -**

A knock on the door frame of her studio stopped Chloe immediately as she turned around to see who it was. To her surprise and delight, it was the very person she had just been thinking about.

"I see you're taking my advice." Chloe blushed lightly.

"Yeah, you were right, my sound has gotten a lot more rounded since I started singing different styles. It's really helpful." Beca nodded.

"Yeah, limiting your music to one style can be good if you're solely good at that one thing. But you're better than that. You easily have the potential to be good at most genres."

"Except rap.' Chloe muttered under her breath. She didn't think Beca had caught that, but the DJ did if that laugh was any indication.

"Well, rap isn't the easiest for people to pick up, but there are some people who just take to it. I'm assuming you're just not one of them." Chloe nodded.

"Nope, never been too good at rap. Which is a shame, because I've always loved _Gangster's Paradise,_ it's one of my favorites _._ Beca chuckled, as she pulled up a stool next to Chloe.

"I didn't peg you as a girl whose favorite song would be that one." Chloe just shrugged.

"I like the beat." Beca smiled.

"Fair enough. Say, you ready to being getting coached by yours truly?" Chloe nodded with enthusiasm. Beca stood up and offered Chloe her hand. The redhead grabbed it, and with surprising strength from someone so small, Beca pulled her to her feet. As the DJ let go, Chloe immediately missed the feeling of Beca's hand in hers, but she shook the thought out of her head quickly. Now wasn't the time for her to be getting sentimental.

She followed Beca to one of the coaching studios, not much unlike the one that she spent time with Aubrey in. Gesturing for her to sit, Chloe planted her butt on one of the chairs, while Beca sat opposite her, backward in the chair, arms folded, resting on the back of the chair. She was intently looking at Chloe.

"So, before you were so gloriously given the boot off Posen's team, what were you two working on?"

"Mostly harmonizing. She didn't see much need to work on performance stuff because she thought I was good with that. We were mostly working on my singing. She wanted me to be able to harmonize perfectly with anyone." Beca smirked and shook her head.

"Typical Posen, working skills to death while you've still got other things to work on. She has a knack for getting so tunnel visioned, she doesn't look at a performer, or group as it may be, as a whole and tends to focus on perfecting one skill before moving on to the next." Chloe could see why that was true. From what she gathered from a few other Team Aubrey members, she was working on one skill with everyone and drilling it into their head. Very few had worked on more than one thing with her.

"Well, I'm not a perfectionist like blonde-zilla, so we're going to be working on a multitude of different things, to expand your already talented self." Chloe turned a light shade of pink. She still couldn't get used to Beca Mitchell, her celebrity crush of all people, throwing compliments around like they were nothing. "Posen was right about one thing, though, you are a stellar performer. Although that's not to say you don't have anything to work on." Chloe nodded, she knew that she wasn't perfect, far from it in fact.

"Of course, no one is perfect at anything, regardless of what Aubrey says," Beca smirked.

"Don't let her hear you say that, you don't want to bring down the wrath of the Posen on you." Chloe laughed. "You laugh, but seriously, it's torture."

"Is it?" Beca nodded.

"Yup. Don't know how much you know about me and Posen, but we knew each other in college, and well.. Let's just say I got real up close and personal with her wrath." Chloe giggled as Beca frowned. "Oh I see how it is, you're laughing at my pain." Chloe tried to keep a straight face, but Beca's pout was so adorable.

"I can't help it when you look so adorable, it's hard not to laugh." Beca just shook her head.

"I'm not adorable, I'm bad ass!" She insisted. That only made Chloe laugh harder, and eventually, Beca joined in. "Honestly, I don't even know why I'm laughing." Chloe grinned.

"My laugh is contagious." She said smugly. It was always a talent of her, cheering people up and making them happy. It's what she enjoyed, which is one of the reasons she was in the music business. Music often made people happy, or it was an outlet for people. Music was an escape, there was always a song for everything.

"I suppose you're right Beale, but all this laughing aside, I think it's time to get to work." Chloe eagerly nodded. "So, what do you feel like you need the most work on?" Chloe furrowed her brow. She didn't really know. Already Chloe could tell that Beca had a different coaching style than Aubrey from that statement alone. Aubrey just told her what she needed to work on, and they worked that skill into the ground. Beca was actually asking her opinion on what she needed.

"I don't really know." Chloe shrugged. "I guess I've been working so much on expanding my style, I haven't really thought about what skills I need to work on." Beca nodded, she could tell that the redhead had taken her advice the other week to heart. She was excited by the fact that Chloe had listened to her, and she could tell that Chloe had put most of her free time into doing just that.

"Well, while your harmonizing is an important skill, and you should upkeep that skill, you're not going to need it until the end of the show, so I think we can put that away for now." Chloe sighed in relief. She enjoyed working on that, but after working it into the ground with Aubrey, she was ready to do something new. "I'm thinking of taking some time to work on your performance skills?" Chloe nodded, she was looking forward to learning from Beca, and at this point, she probably would have loved to work on anything with her.

Beca got up from her chair and motioned for Chloe to so as well. The pair walked over to an open spot in the large studio. For the first time, Chloe really noticed the height difference between her and Beca. She wasn't towering over the DJ, but she was about half a head taller. She smiled to herself at this realization, but Beca happened to notice. "What are you smiling about Beale?" She said it in such a way that Chloe didn't even think about lying.

"Just noticing how short you are." Beca's eyes widened as she hit Chloe's shoulder.

"I swear, everyone has to make fun of my size." She huffed. Chloe giggled and shrugged.

"Well, when you're fun-sized, of course." Beca rolled her eyes.

"Whatever. Anyways, moving on. I know you're good at getting an audience interested, but I notice that you do a lot of the same things. Like your singing, it's okay to have a signature go to, but mixing it up will make your performance unpredictable, and entice the audience even more. Especially on a show like this, you want to have a memorable performance, not just one of the crowd; force them to remember you.' Chloe nodded in acknowledgment. She always used her bubbly and happy personality to hype up the audience, but if she was going to expand her singing style, her performance would have to grow with it.

"In your battle with Jesse, you looked semi-comfortable, but nothing like your audition."

"Yeah, the dynamics of performing with another person are different, playing off each other. He was a lot better than I was with that." Beca nodded.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean you can't get better at that. Here, try it again, but with me."

**Lately, I've been, I've been losing sleep**  
**Dreaming about the things that we could be**  
**But baby, I've been, I've been praying hard,**  
**Said, no more counting dollars  
** **We'll be counting stars, yeah we'll be counting stars**

Beca, out of the blue, just started singing _Counting Stars_ , looking at Chloe expectantly. Although Beca was also egging Chloe on to sing with her and perform with her. Beca twisted and swayed to her own voice while throwing Chloe looks that made the redhead melt. She briefly observed Beca before joining in on the second line, facing Beca, doing a dance of her own.

**I see this life like a swinging vine**  
**Swing my heart across the line**  
**And my face is flashing signs  
** **Seek it out and you shall find**

Pushing Chloe to go further, Beca stopped dancing but waved her hand to tell Chloe to continue. The redhead grinned mischievously before grabbing Beca's hand, pulling her closer. Beca raised an eyebrow, almost teasing Chloe to continue. Chloe, realizing what she had just done, gulped nervously, but she was committed now. She figured she might as well enjoy it.

**Old, but I'm not that old**  
**Young, but I'm not that bold**  
**I don't think the world is sold  
** **I'm just doing what we're told**

Only a couple of inches away from Beca, Chloe picked up her dance again, her hand still intertwined with Beca's hand. Beca flushed a very light shade of red when she noticed that Chloe hadn't let go of her hand, but the brunette didn't care. Being this close to Chloe, watching her dance, almost personally for her, was a sight that Beca would love to see more of. She redhead had an elegance and grace about her that few could match. If this was what Beca was going to be working with for the rest of the show, she was glad that she stole the talented redheaded singer.

**I feel something so right**  
**Doing the wrong thing**  
**I feel something so wrong**  
**Doing the right thing**  
**I could lie, couldn't I, could lie  
** **Everything that kills me makes me feel alive**

As Beca's alto voice joined Chloe's soprano, Chloe could hear how well their voices fit together, ever better than her's and Aubrey's voices. It was certainly something, to hear the almost perfect harmony of the two. Chloe immediately fell in love with the sound, and unbeknownst to her, Beca wasn't too far behind. The DJ had raised her free hand that wasn't entwined with Chloe's, above her head, waving it around, a wide smile on her face.

**Lately, I've been, I've been losing sleep**  
**Dreaming about the things that we could be**  
**But baby, I've been, I've been praying hard,**  
**Said, no more counting dollars  
** **We'll be counting stars**

As the duo finished the chorus, their voices both trailed off as they looked each other in the eyes, hands still connected. Chloe bit her bottom lip. They were only a few inches apart, it would have been so easy to just lean in and capture the brunette's lips. But she berated herself for thinking those things, and so immediately pulled away, letting go of Beca's hand. Both females felt an emptiness as they lost contact, but both didn't mention their obvious chemistry.

"See what I mean? About playing off of others. Get your partner involved with the song, even if you're not the one singing." Chloe smiled at Beca and nodded. She understood what she was saying. "So, like I said, work on getting different moves for different songs, and that kind of stuff, yeah?" Chloe enthusiastically agreed with Beca and told her she would.

They worked for an hour or so before it was quitting time, and time for Chloe to go home. But in a moment of weakness, be it because of the proximity she had shared with Beca all afternoon, or the gravity of her feelings, she leaned in and kissed Beca on the cheek. Beca froze and Chloe, realizing what she had just done, blushed furiously and mumbled a quick goodbye, before scampering out of the studio. Beca just stood there, reaching up to the place where Chloe had just kissed her. Smiling to herself, she felt a little intimidated at what the redhead was making her feel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bechloe is so cute.


	5. Celebrity Mentors

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song(s) Used: Animals - Maroon 5

Returning to the studio the next day, Chloe was feeling chipper as usual. Despite her little slip up with Beca the day prior, she was still feeling good about what was to come. She had brought her laptop to the set to do a little research into new performing techniques and styles. She knew, from both Beca telling her and just knowing herself, that she had a specific style, and she wanted to gather ideas from others to incorporate into her own performance. Much like she was doing with her singing, in terms of widening her genre range.

When she arrived on set, she noticed that all four coaches were standing on the main stage, and her fellow competitors were milling about, all gathered around the stage, waiting. Beca caught her eye and the brunette smiled at her. She waved her over and Chloe almost bounded over towards her, as Beca moved away from the other coaches to talk with her.

"Morning Chloe," Beca stated, a little groggily. It was apparent that Beca wasn't a morning person. Chloe almost giggled, but instead just flashed her a bright smile.

"Morning Beca, what's going on?" She gestured to everyone standing around.

"Oh, we're waiting on everyone to get here. We're going to be bringing in some celebrity advisers today and we wanted to have everyone here." Chloe nodded.

"Oh, alright!" She said brightly. Beca smiled at Chloe's morning eagerness. She definitely wasn't a morning person herself, but she couldn't help but be happy to see Chloe so chipper in the morning. It was infectious.

"Well, it'll be a few minutes before everyone gets here, so feel free to hang around and chat, I need to go do.. coach shit." Beca laughed and so did Chloe. The redhead loved Beca's bluntness and openness about things.

She waved bye to Beca as the DJ went back over to the coaches. She looked around and finally spotted Stacie, the tall brunette that she had met on her first day. She approached the girl, waving as Stacie spotted her. The taller girl waved her over.

"Hey Chloe, how have you been?" Chloe shrugged.

"Pretty good, I can't really complain," Stacie smirked.

"Well, I managed to catch your battle with Jesse. To tell you the truth, I think Aubrey made a mistake picking him. You did way better." Chloe blushed a little at the compliment.

"Thanks, Stacie. I don't know, I don't really blame either of them, they did what they had to. I'm just glad Beca picked me up." Stacie noted Chloe's eyes light up as she mentioned Beca, but was tactful enough not to bring it up.

"Yeah, at least you're still here. And hey, more of a chance to show up Jesse." Chloe laughed.

"That's true. I've never been one to hold a grudge, but I admit it would be nice to beat him." Stacie nodded.

"Of course." Chloe took a minute to look at the tall brunette and really examine her. She was fairly slender, however, she did have curves; Chloe could appreciate that. She was never really into labels of her sexuality. She figured love was love, no matter what gender, or lack thereof if the case may be.

Stacie could see Chloe's eyes raking her body and she smirked. "See something you like?" Chloe blushed lightly at being caught before bringing her eyes up to meet Stacie.

"Maybe. I can appreciate the female body as much as the next person. Hope you don't mind?" Stacie laughed and shook her head.

"Nope, it's fine. Trust me, I get way more leering looks on a daily basis. You're all good."

Chloe and Stacie chatted about arbitrary things for a few minutes before the coaches called all their attentions. The pair quieted and turned to watch the coaches intently. They were all excited to see how their celebrity advisor would be. This season there was only going to be one per team, and they would be around from the Knockout rounds up to the finals. So needless to say, they were going to be around for a while.

Adam stepped up to address all the contestants. Chloe looked around and noted who was left; obviously her and Stacie, she saw Jesse over in a corner with another guy; Bumper she thought his name was, although she wasn't sure. It was an odd name, to say the least. She also noticed a quiet Asian named Lilly, a somewhat larger, loud Australian named Amy, and a taller, lanky male with glasses whose name eluded her. Plus everyone else, but they were the only ones she recognized from seeing them around often enough.

"Okay ladies and gents, you've all passed your respective battles, and now it's time to move on to the knockout rounds. As most of you probably know, you'll have one celebrity adviser this season, picked out personally by your coach. You'll be working with both you coach and adviser for the rest of the show." All the contestants nodded their heads in acknowledgment.

"So without further ado, let's bring them out." Everyone in the studio clapped loudly in anticipation of who they would be working with." Adam turned to the side wing. "So for my team, I'm bringing in artist, Calvin Harris." He gestured over to where his fellow artist stepped out and happily waved to everyone. Adam's team, Stacie included, seemed excited about the prospect of working with him. Next, up, Blake took the stage.

"Alright boys and girls, now that Adam over here is finally done blabbering." The Maroon 5 frontman childishly, but subtly flipped him the bird. Everyone laughed as Blake just rolled his eyes. "What I was trying to say, my celebrity advisor is.. Jason Aldean." He brought attention over to the side stage, where Jason was leaning up against a door frame. He bowed slightly and tipped his hat. Blake's team was mostly the country singers, there were a few pop/rock voices in there but they were all smiling at the country singer. They were all eager to see what the famous country artist would teach them.

Aubrey stepped up next. "Looks like I'm up. Alright, team, I'm bringing in.. Sam Smith!" Most of Aubrey's team cheered, as the Grammy-winning artist walked in and stood next to Aubrey, pulling the blonde into a hug; kissing both her cheeks. Jesse had a gleam in his eyes as he processed who he was going to be working with. Sam Smith was one of his favorite musicians.

And that left Beca. Chloe was closely watching Beca for any possible hint of who they would be working with. Chloe really didn't have any idea who the little DJ was going to bring in. Being a music producer and artist, she was pretty well connected. There were a ton of possible choices. Beca took a breath and cleared her throat, the studio quieting down after the previous three mentors had been introduced.

"Well, looks like it's just me left. Leave it to them to have my mentor be the last, no pressure right?" Some of the contestants chuckled. "Well, let's just say I'm bringing in a close, personal friend. Everybody, Pharrell Williams!" Chloe squealed a little bit, as Stacie smiled at the excited redhead. The Season 8 coach walked out on stage and waved at everyone. Chloe grinned, knowing that she'd get to work with _the_ Pharrell Williams. She knew a little bit of the history between Beca and Pharrell so she was excited to see how the two worked together.

"Okay, well, since you've all been introduced to the celeb mentor for your team, you're all going to go off with your coaches for a little bit." Beca finished up. Each contestant headed in the direction their coaches were heading as they all went off their separate directions. Chloe waved goodbye to Stacie as she followed Beca and the rest of their team to one of the coaching studios.

Once everyone was situated, Beca and Pharrell addressed the team. "So, I'd imagine most of you guys know of Pharrell Williams." The short DJ gestured to her friend as the man politely tipped his black striped fedora. Most of the contestants nodded their heads in acknowledgment, Chloe included. "Well, for the next couple of weeks, we're going to be preparing you for KnockOut rounds. For those of you who might not know how they work, you'll be paired with one other person, like in the Battle Rounds, but you'll be independently choosing a song to sing. Your partner won't know what you're singing, so on the night of Knockouts, it's a surprise. Once both of you have done your piece, we'll be eliminating one of you." Chloe knew how this worked and she was determined to not fall short again. She was going to come out on top of whoever she was paired up again. There were some talented singers on Beca's team, but this time Chloe was confident that she would be on top of her game.

Pharrell stepped up to say a few words. "Alright guys, my little friend Beca here tells me you're all really talented artists." Beca frowned at the mention of her height, and Chloe couldn't help but giggle a little at the brunette's pout. It looked cute on her. "Well for the next couple of weeks, we'll be working on everything under the sun to make you all even more talented. You'll be working hard, but those of you who take this seriously will definitely come out on top."

Chloe looked around to see a few heads bobbing up and down, and a few faces that just looked bored. Chloe could tell who was really invested in this and who wasn't from their body language alone, and she figured that Beca and Pharrell did as well. Beca looked down at her clipboard. "Bumper, you're up first today. The rest of you, feel free to go about your own practicing and rehearsing. We probably won't see everyone today, but should reach all of you within the next couple of days. That's all." Beca said as she dismissed them. Chloe gathered up her laptop and beelined for her usual studio.

Shutting the door behind her, she set up her computer on the small table that was in the room with her. While she was waiting for it to boot up, she let her mind wander. She couldn't wait to see what the next couple of weeks would bring. She'd be working with Pharrell Williams of all people. She was extremely excited at the prospect. He was one of her favorite artists, she really liked his upbeat, cheerful sound.

But she was also equally if not more so looking forwards to being able to spend more time with Beca Mitchell. She still was a little embarrassed about the kiss she gave Beca the previous day, but she wasn't going to let that control her behavior. What's done was done, and she couldn't take it back, even if she wanted to. But even just recalling her lips against the DJ's soft cheek, she couldn't help but sigh in happiness. Beca was such a mysterious person. In her attempted research, which half of was drooling over pictures she looked up, she rarely ever came across any personal information about the small brunette.

What little she did find was just basic information; age, birthplace, and other little things like that. Chloe didn't know what she expected to find, but she was surprised that different magazines and heaven forbid, Wikipedia had little to no information on her beyond her career. All she really knew was that Beca was a 24-year-old from Portland, Maine. She had attended Barden University briefly before moving to LA to end up being one of the most well-known DJs and producers in California and probably in the entire music industry.

Opening up the browser on her computer, she immediately went to YouTube to look up some live performances of different artists. She wanted to watch some of the greats perform so she could try to channel some of their styles. Chloe decided she wanted to look up Michael Jackson first, so typing his name into the search bar, she didn't really know what to expect to find. Although noting some of his most famous songs, including _Smooth Criminal_ and _Thriller_ , she figured she at least should have expected that. She clicked on the thumbnail of _Thriller_ music video, figuring if anything, she'd at least get to watch the king dance.

For the next couple of hours, Chloe was immersed in different videos of different artists spanning from classics like Queen and the Rolling Stones to more modern artists like The Weeknd and Ellie Goulding. As she absorbed her performance techniques, Chloe started noticing little nuances between generations of artists. There were things that bands of the 1970s did, that artists will still do now.

Chloe paid close attention in particular to these little details. To harken back to the 'classic' days of music was something that a lot of people liked to see. It brought nostalgia to many people to see performances that they might have seen a decade or two ago.

As she was skimming through videos, she figured she might as well start thinking about what she wanted to sing for knockouts. She knew that she was definitely going to get Beca and Pharrell to help her on what to sing, but it didn't hurt to have a few ideas prepared.

Chloe wasn't really sure what style or era she wanted to pull her song from, so as she scoured YouTube for some ideas, she kept an open mind. She knew there were some genres she just couldn't do, but she was getting a lot better at expanding her musical view. Before she really stuck to catchy pop songs, but now she was venturing more into soul music and some alternative-ish rock.

Chloe also wanted to grab a song that meant something special to her. She always sang and performed better when the song had to mean. Maybe that's why she wasn't at the absolute top of her game during the battle round.S _Ttyle_ was a good song, and Chloe liked the meaning behind it, but it she didn't really connect with the song.

After a couple more hours of trying to find some potential song choices, Chloe decided to pack up for the day. Beca wasn't going to be seeing her until the next day, so she figured she might as well head home. Gently putting her laptop back in the case, she flipped the light switch in the studio and headed home for the afternoon.

* * *

The next day when Chloe arrived at the studio, Beca seemed to be waiting for her, because as soon as she walked in, she was greeted by her coach. "Good morning Chloe." Beca smiled happily. Chloe loved to see Beca's happy grin, she thought it was a stunning sight to see, especially because it graced Beca face so little.

"Morning Beca!" Chloe, forgetting at personal boundaries, quickly wrapped her arms around the shorter female. Beca stiffened for half a second, before wrapping her arms around the redhead, relaxing into the embrace. The two lingered in their hug a little bit longer than typical friends. Pharrell happened to witness the exchange between the two, and he internally smiled for his friend. Beca had never been a particularly open person, usually shying away from contact of any sort. Despite her walls of stone, the male artist considered Beca one of his best friends and was happy that someone seemed to be getting through to her.

"So, you're up first for this morning, if that's alright with you?" Chloe nodded eagerly, she was excited to meet Pharrell and have his take on her singing. Beca gestured for Chloe to follow her as the two females made their way to one of the coaching studios; the same one that they had practiced in a few days prior. Pharrell was close on the pair's heels, entering the studio after them, shutting the door quietly.

Chloe turned around to see the man standing there. She let out a little uncontrollable squeal, and both Beca and Pharrell chuckled a little. Chloe approached the male artist, thrusting her hand out, which he took and shook firmly. "Hi! I'm Chloe Beale, I'm a really big fan." Chloe gushed, unable to control her word vomit. She didn't really know why she was reacting in such a way because she wasn't like this when she met Adam, Blake or Aubrey; even Beca.

But Pharrell was one of her favorite artists, and while she was attracted to Beca; she definitely had a talent crush on Pharrell. "Well, hello Chloe, you ready to show us what you've got." Chloe nervously nodded. He must have picked up on Chloe's insecurity because Pharrell placed a hand on Chloe's shoulder. "No need to be nervous. We're, by that I mean Beca and me, are here to help you." Chloe nodded a little bit more confidently. She could do this.

Both professional recording artists went to go sit down, while Chloe got herself situated. "Anything, in particular, I should sing?" She inquired. The both shook their heads.

"Just sing what you feel like." Chloe took a deep breath.

**Baby, I'm preying on you tonight**  
**Hunt you down eat you alive  
** **Just like animals, animals, like animals-mals**

Chloe didn't really know what to sing, so she just pulled the first song that she could think of. Maroon 5 wasn't really her go to style, but she still felt comfortable singing their songs.

**Maybe you think that you can hide**  
**I can smell your scent from miles**  
**Just like animals, animals, like animals-mals  
** **Baby, I'm**

Beca and Pharrell listened to the young redhead intently. Beca was immediately impressed that Chloe went with more of a rock-ish song than her usual go to bubblegum pop style. But Beca also knew that Chloe had been working really hard to venture into genres that she had little experience with.

Pharrell on the other hand, who hadn't heard her sing, was impressed by the powerful belt of the redhead. He, like most of the other coaches, picked up immediately that Chloe had that little something special that you didn't come across very often. She had a real passion for music, he could see it in her eyes and hear it in her voice.

**So what you trying to do to me**  
**It's like we can't stop we're enemies**  
**But we get along when I'm inside you**  
**You're like a drug that's killing me**  
**I cut you out entirely  
** **But I get so high when I'm inside you**

Chloe desperately wanted to impress Pharrell, mostly because of her talent crush on him, but also because ever since she had lost to Jesse, she wanted to prove that she still belonged on _The Voice_ ; that Beca hadn't made a mistake of picking her. So whenever she was singing in front of other people, she had this internalized goal of proving herself.

**Yeah, you can start over, you can run free**  
**You can find other fish in the sea**  
**You can pretend it's meant to be**  
**But you can't stay away from me**  
**I can still hear you making that sound**  
**Taking me down, rolling on the ground**  
**You can pretend that it was me  
** **But no**

Chloe's voice trailed off as she finished the verse. Beca and Pharrell were looking at Chloe, both seeming to be analyzing what they just heard. Beca spoke up first. "You've been progressing really well Chloe, I'm super proud of you." Chloe beamed at the compliment from her coach. Pharrell nodded in agreement.

"I'm really impressed by what I heard. You've got a lot of potential kid." Chloe was even more over the moon to hear Pharrell's words. She had impressed the talented singer. She was feeling ecstatic, and her emotions were written all over her face. Both Beca and Pharrell noticed, and they both chuckled at Chloe's obviously exuberance.

Both Beca and her celebrity friend were looking forward to working with the passionate redhead. And if a certain DJ was honest with herself, she would realize that she wanted more out of Chloe than just a professional relationship. What she wanted, she wasn't entirely sure. But she was continually getting more excited to work closely with the redhead and she hoped that Chloe would prove to be able to move on to the finals.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for not updating yesterday. I honestly got so busy that I forgot.


	6. A Change of Venue

Later on that day, Chloe found herself just lounging about on set. She had her coaching session with Beca and Pharrell earlier that morning, and she was very satisfied with the results. Both artists thought she had potential, and they both admired her singing voice.

The redhead was extremely proud of herself after the session. So proud in fact that she decided to relax for the rest of the day. Chloe wasn't usually one to slack off, but despite her happiness of how her stint on _The Voice_ was going, she was still feeling stressed. She thought it would be a good idea to unwind a little and relax. It would give her a chance to take stock of her emotions.

Which is what led her to just sitting in the set 'break room,' spacing off. A few contestants had flitted in and out during the afternoon, but hardly any of them spoke to her. The only one that did was Stacie. The tall brunette sat with Chloe during lunch and they chatted about arbitrary things.

"How is coaching going for you, Stacie? How's Calvin?" Chloe inquired and Stacie smiled.

"It's going great! He's great. He's actually super friendly and it's nice to meet such a great artist. I'm feeling really good about my abilities; I've gotten a lot better since I've started."

"Laying off the overly sexual performances?" Stacie laughed.

"Toning it down a little maybe, but definitely not giving it up anytime soon." Chloe chuckled along with Stacie. She should have known the sexy brunette wouldn't just give up on that. "How about you, though? How are you doing?"

Chloe shrugged, but Stacie could see the excited glint in her eyes anyways. "It's going well. Had my session with Beca and Pharrell this morning. Had to sing for them. Beca told me that I'm getting way better and Pharrell seemed impressed. I mostly spent the time listening to Pharrell and Beca reminisce about their early career together."

"Ooh, I bet you have some awesome stories then. There isn't a lot out there on their relationship." Chloe felt a slight jealous tug at her stomach at the word 'relationship' but she let it go. It wasn't her place to have that particular feeling over Beca. They weren't even friends really. Although she did want to be friends with Beca.

"I mean, I guess so. Nothing really to write home about." Stacie laughed and shook her head.

"Really Chloe, if Beca is willing to openly talk about her early career around you, that's big." Chloe furrowed her brow.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm sure you've noticed that there's a lack of information on Beca before she made it big, correct?" Chloe hesitantly nodded in acknowledgment, not really wanting to admit that she'd been researching her celebrity crush. Stacie seemed to take no notice of her hesitation, though. "Well, that's because, rumor has it at least, that she had a hard early life and likes to keep it out of the media. She's a particularly reserved individual and doesn't open up to many people. The fact that she seems so at ease with you is kind of something to write home about."

Chloe pondered this for a minute or two. Was what Stacie said true? Beca hadn't been anything with open and honest with her since they met, or so she thought. But there was sense in Stacie's words. Beca didn't seem like the type of person to spill her guts to just anyone. Not like Chloe. The redhead knew that she was always the type of person who wore her emotions on her sleeve. Which was why she was so nervous about being in close proximity to Beca. She was afraid that her feelings would surface and the tiny DJ would notice. That would make things awkward. Beca was so far out of her league, it was crazy.

Stacie got up and threw out the remains of her lunch. "I've got to go Chloe. It was nice chatting with you. And really, Beca seems to like you. I've seen you two around the studio, and I've seen her with your other teammates too. Trust me, you're way closer to her than you think." Chloe could have sworn she was a mischievous glint in Stacie's eyes, but the brunette left too quickly for Chloe to truly process what that look meant.

* * *

On the other hand, Beca was sitting with Pharrell in one of the coaching studios with another one of her team members; Bumper Allen. He was good, but his attitude was not one of his redeeming qualities. He was an overly confident, cocky kid who thought he was God's gift to the world. Needless to say that Beca wasn't entirely a fan of his, but she had picked him up anyways. She had to admit he was a talented voice.

"Bumper, I've got one thing that I really want you to work on." The boy nodded. "Tone down your superior attitude. It may or may not be intentional, but you certainly give off an 'I'm better than you' vibe, and that's not a good thing in this industry. You might be better than someone, but no one likes something who lords it over their head. Chill out a little bit." Bumper looked like he wanted to argue with her, but one sharp look from Pharrell silenced him. He just nodded and left the pair.

Beca covered her face with her hands. "God, I sometimes wonder why I picked that one." Pharrell was able to make out the muffled words of his long time friend.

"You know why you did. He's got a good voice. You needed to fill up your team, and he was as good as any, better than some. Although I can tell you're less than impressed with his behavior, if you parting words had anything to say about it." Beca sighed.

"That was probably mean what I told him, but he deserved it." Pharrell laughed but agreed. "I don't know how you managed this last season man." The male artist shrugged.

"I don't really know either. Most of these kids are passionate about music, we all have that in common. Most of them just want a shot to break it big, we can all sympathize with that." Beca nodded. She definitely could. Her first few months out in LA had been hard. She was barely scraping by with the gigs she got. It wasn't until she happened to book a gig at a semi-popular club that Pharrell had happened to be at, that she finally got her chance.

She had gotten an extremely lucky break. She knew that, and she knew that some artists in the industry resented her for it; exhibit A, Aubrey Posen. She knew that Aubrey didn't like that Beca had broken into the industry as easily as she did. The two had never seen eye to eye in college and she knew the Aubrey worked way harder to get where she was. Not that Beca didn't work hard, but she got an early contact in the business, Aubrey didn't. She knew that it took Aubrey a couple years to make it into the music industry full time. It only took Beca around half a year to really get herself going.

Beca didn't hate Aubrey. Not really. She was just too stubborn and closed off about her feelings to actually talk to the blonde. She resorted to antagonizing and being flippant to her instead.

"Becs, you there? I lost you for a minute." Beca snapped out of her thought process, attention back on Pharrell. She looked at the man sheepishly.

"Yeah, sorry. Sort of got lost in thought." Pharrell sighed. He knew that look.

"About Posen again?" Beca grimaced but nodded. Pharrell was one of the few people she had actually told about what happened between them in college. He was always telling her that she should just suck it up and talk to the blonde, but Beca was weird about that kind of stuff, so she never did.

"I keep tell you Becs, you should just talk to her. I really doubt she hates you. She's probably irritated and annoyed at you, but from what I know about you two, I doubt she hates you." Beca just shrugged. Her friend sighed but dropped the subject. If he had learned anything about Beca it was that if she didn't want to talk about something, it was like pulling teeth to get her to talk.

"Anyways, back to business, I guess." He said, changing subjects. "Who do you think, if anyone, is going to make it to finals?" It was a slight bit of a competition between them, where they tried to predict who from their team would make it to finals.

"Chloe," Beca said without any hesitation. She knew she was probably playing favorites with the redhead, but there was something about the perky singer that she liked. Pharrell gave Beca a knowing smile.

"Didn't have to think hard about that did you?"

"Nope." She said, popping the 'p.' "You know as well as I do that she's good. She's special." Even as the words left her mouth, Beca knew she was more invested in Chloe than she wanted to admit. She had been sharing stories, personal ones, with her during their session earlier that morning. She didn't do that with just anyone. It took months for Pharrell to get anything out of her, and she had only known Chloe a few weeks. And even then, she hadn't all that much time with her.

"You've got it bad, girl." Beca's head snapped to Pharrell.

"I.. I don't know what you're talking about." She was Beca Mitchell, she didn't _do_ feelings.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about. How many people do you ever let past even the first layer of your walls? Not that many people. And sharing personal stories after the second session? You've got feelings of some sort for her, don't you?"

Did she? Did Beca Mitchell like Chloe Beale? It didn't matter regardless really. She was Chloe's coach; doing anything with Chloe was a conflict of interest. Besides, from what she knew of Chloe, the redhead was bubbly and happy with everyone. She doubted that Chloe liked her that way.

"Doesn't matter what I feel bro. Nothing can happen." Pharrell sighed.

"I mean Beca, it's ultimately your decision but I haven't seen your eyes light up like that, ever. Chloe walks into a room and your mood picks up." Beca shook her head and slapped Pharrell's chest, none too softly either. "Hey, I'm calling them as I see them. I just want you to be happy Becs." She placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I know."

* * *

It was late afternoon and Chloe was getting ready to head out. As she was packing up, Beca walked up to her.

"Hey, Chloe." The redhead jumped. Beca covered her mouth to keep from laughing. Chloe's eyes narrowed and she glared at Beca.

"It's not funny Beca. You startled me. Anyways, what's up?" Beca rocked back and forth on her heels a little bit.

"Listen, I've got a proposition for you. The coaching studios here are great and all, but they lack some of the equipment that I want to use to coach you. My personal recording studio isn't far from here. Would you mind if we met there for our next session? It'll just be you and me. Pharrell has a show to play out of town." Chloe hesitated. Alone, with Beca Mitchell? Off of studio grounds no less. She should have been ecstatic that Beca wanted to bring her to her recording studio. But Chloe was unsure of her reins of her feelings. She didn't want to slip up because they were alone. Beca took Chloe's silence as a rejection of her idea, though.

"I.. I mean, we don't have to if you're not comfortable.." Beca trailed off when Chloe's bright blue eyes met hers.

"No.. No! I was just... processing. I'd love to if it's not too much trouble for you?" Beca shook her head.

"I wouldn't have offered if it was." Chloe nodded her head vigorously

"Sure then. That would be awesome!" Chloe squealed in glee before wrapping her arms around the shorter woman. Beca laughed awkwardly before patting Chloe on the back. Although when Chloe let go of her, she immediately missed the contact and warmth that she felt.

"Well.." Beca pulled a slip of paper out of her back pocket. "Here's the address of my studio, just show this to my receptionist and she'll let you through. Tomorrow morning?" Chloe grinned and nodded as she reached out to take the slip of paper.

"Thanks so much Beca!" Again wrapping her arms around the tiny DJ. This time, though, Beca was more prepared and she laughed at the redhead's exuberance. She just wrapped her arms around Chloe's waist.

When they broke apart, Chloe once again, accidently let her grip on her emotions fall. She pressed her lips to Beca's soft cheek. Realizing what she had just done, she quickly untangled their limbs. Quickly scurrying away, Chloe yelled over her shoulder, "I'll see you tomorrow Beca!"

And for the second time since meeting Chloe Beale, Beca brought her hand to the place there Chloe's lips touched her face. Smiling slightly, she closed her eyes and allowed herself to imagine that the kiss meant as much to Chloe as it did to her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feelings chapter rather than singing. Need to develop characters somehow, right?


	7. First Lunch Date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song(s) Used: Halo - Beyonce

Chloe pulled the small slip of paper out of her pocket, to check that she had the right address. Beca had been right; her recording studio was fairly close to where they worked on _The Voice,_ only a mile or two from the main studio. Chloe pulled out her cell phone to check the time and saw that it was only about 9:00 AM. But Beca had never set a specific time to meet up for her coaching session. The singer didn't want to appear overly eager to see the DJ and arrive at the crack of dawn, but that didn't change the fact that was how she felt.

She had accidently kissed Beca on the cheek before leaving the studio the previous day, and she could still feel the tingle on her lips as they brushed up against the soft skin of Beca's cheek. She had been berating herself for doing so, but now she figured what's done was done. She just hoped it wouldn't make things awkward between them. If anything Chloe could just brush it off that she was like that to everyone. It wasn't far from the truth. Sure, she didn't kiss everyone on the cheek, but she was less conscious of personal boundaries than most people. She didn't really have a full grasp on social cues like that. It got her in trouble more than once.

Looking up at the building, she took a breath and entered. She immediately noted the semi-large waiting room, and the single receptionist sitting behind her desk. She approached slowly, the slip of paper that Beca had given her the previous day gripped tightly in her hand. The brunette woman sitting behind the desk looked up at her and smiled.

"Hello, may I help you?" Chloe nodded.

"Beca Mitchell gave me the address. I'm one of her.. trainees on _The Voice_ and she wanted to coach me here today?" What started out as a statement ended up sounding like a question. But the woman just nodded her head and grinned at Chloe.

"So, you're Chloe, correct?" The redhead nodded. "Right, Beca told me this morning that she was expecting you. Take a seat and I'll call her down." Chloe nodded gratefully at the receptionist and went to go sit down. It wasn't too long before the elevator dinged and Beca Mitchell stepped out. Chloe smiled at the sight of the short DJ and stood up to go meet her. Without really thinking, she pulled Beca into a brief hug. The brunette chuckled before wrapping her arms around Chloe and squeezing.

As the two separated, Beca glanced over at her receptionist, who was giving her a knowing smile. Beca just rolled her eyes. "Thanks for letting me know she was here Anna. I'll be working with her, most likely for the rest of the day. Please make sure that I'm not disturbed unless it's 100% necessary." Anna nodded at Beca as the DJ took Chloe's hand and almost dragged her back into the elevator, the doors sliding shut behind them.

On their way up, Beca fidgeted around a bit before speaking. "So, how have you been?" Chloe giggled a little bit at Beca's attempt at small talk.

"You mean in the last seventeen or so hours since I saw you last?" She teased. Beca just huffed.

"I guess so."

"Nothing too much. Just went back to my apartment, had dinner, and just crashed in front of the TV for a while before going to sleep. A normal day in the life of Chloe Beale." The redhead shrugged. Her life outside of the music industry wasn't that interesting. Outside of _The Voice_ and the small gigs, she did at random bars around Los Angeles, her life was the same as any other average American. "What about you?" Chloe asked to keep the conversation flowing.

"Had one more person to see after you left yesterday. Pharrell and I chatted for a while before I headed back to my apartment. Picked up takeout Chinese on the way back. And then just sat in front of my laptop working on new mixes and wrote a few lyrics. I'm not signed to work with any artists right now because of coaching, so I have more free time outside of _The Voice_ than I normally would if I were producing." Chloe nodded in understanding. But before she could respond, the elevator doors dinged open and Beca gestured for Chloe to step out before her.

The two exited the elevator and Beca led them to what Chloe presumed to be her office. Opening the door, Chloe's eyes widened at the sight. It wasn't really the office itself; it was what you'd expect of any multi-Grammy winning producer and singer. What really got to her was the view. Beca chuckled a little at Chloe's reaction and gently pushed her in the door, closing it behind them.

Chloe beelined for the large windows overlooking LA. She knew the building was a tall one, based on what she had seen outside. But she hadn't realized just how tall it was until she was in Beca's office, which happened to be at the top. Looking out over the city, it was a beautiful view of Los Angeles. "You get to look out these windows all day?" Chloe questioned, more to herself than anyone in particular.

Beca walked over to Chloe, standing next to the taller girl. "If I spent all my time in the office, yes. But as it is I spend most of my time in the recording studio, producing or singing; depending on what I'm signed to do at the time. The penthouse office at this point is more of a formality. Where else would I put all my awards?" Beca jokingly pointed over at the cabinet that held her Grammys, as well as a platinum record or two. While her Grammy wins were her pride and joy, she still displayed the Billboard Music Awards, MTV Music Awards, and the multiple other smaller awards that she had won over her career.

Chloe glanced over at Beca before staring out the window again. "You know, something like this has always been my dream?" Chloe murmured, more to herself than to Beca, but the brunette still heard her.

"You've easily got the talent to get you here Chlo." Chloe smiled at the nickname Beca had unconsciously given her. "Play your cards right, and you'll be the next big thing." Chloe looked over at Beca.

"You really think that?" Beca nodded her head vigorously.

"I don't bullshit people Chloe. You have a great voice, even greater performance value, you're dedicated, you're eager to learn, you're easy to like and connect with, of course, you'll make it in this business. I won't lie, it'll be hard, it's going to be a lot of work, but I think you can pull it off. I was in your shoes, not all that long ago, I know how it feels. Just focus on your dream." Chloe searched Beca's eyes and saw nothing but honesty. Chloe was trying hard to not become all emotional and cry on Beca, but her confidence in the redhead was too much. She felt a couple of tears drip down her face before she wiped them off and laughed.

"Jeez Mitchell, look at what you did."

"Hey Beale, I'm just telling you the truth. It's your fault you're going all emotional on me." Beca said dryly. Although to herself, she was thinking that even if they were tears of happiness, she hated to see tears come out of Chloe's eyes at all. "Anyways, enough of this mushy stuff, for now, I believe I owe you a coaching session." Chloe nodded and Beca gestured to the chair next to her desk, which Chloe took.

Sitting down beside the redhead, Beca started talking. "Okay, so when I was talking with Pharrell last night, we both agreed that we see a lot of musical potential with you. So I want to ask you a few questions so I can gauge kind of where you are as a musician, that okay?" Chloe nodded.

"How long have you been singing exactly?" Chloe had to think about it for a few seconds.

"Since middle school. I took choir as my musical elective and fell in love. Continued that through high school. And when I went to college I made some side income from taking gigs in sports bars and entertaining at parties on campus. Moved out to LA and continued running around doing that until I ended up here." Beca nodded.

"So did you ever study musical theory or anything like that?"

"Briefly. I didn't spend all that long on it. Enough to get the basics down, and then I went off on my own." Beca was a little impressed that an artist of Chloe's caliber wasn't professional trained outside of public school. And the education system wasn't exactly well known for their lucrative funding of the music department in this day and age.

"Impressive. Play any instruments?" Chloe nodded.

"Piano. I tried guitar, but never really could get the hang of it, so I just stuck to the piano." A lightbulb went off in Beca's head as she learned that little piece of information about the redhead sitting at her desk.

"Okay, now that, we can work with. That gives you a massive edge up against everyone else." Chloe cocked her head to the side, a little confused. Beca just laughed at Chloe's confusion. "The ability to play an instrument isn't something you should take for granted, even in this business Chloe. Not all singers can play an instrument. The fact that you do gives you a major advantage. You think you could play for me today?" Chloe nodded.

"Yeah, probably." The two spent a hour or so chit chatting about music and Beca trying to get a feel for Chloe's personality before Beca got up and beckoned for Chloe to follow her. The pair exited Beca's office and walked down the hall to a massive recording studio, complete with a grand piano set up in the corner of the room.

"So, this is where all the magic happens," Beca said, waving around the room. Chloe stepped in, once again in awe of what she saw before her. She had never really seen a real, legit producing studio like this. Sure the ones on _The Voice_ were cool, but they were nothing like what she saw now. Complete with a massive sound studio, recording, and mixing equipment, dual monitor setup, and multiple instruments scattered around the room, ranging from piano to ukulele. There was even a cushy couch crammed into one of the corners of the room.

"This is amazing Beca." Chloe gushed as she beelined over to sit on the piano bench. "This is a really nice piano." She said as she ran her fingers gently over the ivory keys. Beca sat next to Chloe on the bench.

"Yeah, I ended up investing in one when I started working with artists who could play and played their own piano arrangements of their songs." Chloe glanced over at Beca and she blushed lightly when she realized exactly how close Beca was to her on the bench.

"Do.. do you play?" Chloe stammered out, trying to compose herself. Beca, seemingly oblivious to Chloe's current predicament, answered immediately.

"No, not really. Not anymore. I used to play, but now it mostly just adding in melodies or beats to a mix or song. I know enough to be able to help you, so don't worry about that. But enough about me, this is about you and your talents. Show me what you've got Beale!" Chloe gulped.

"Anything, in particular, you want me to play?" Beca shook her head.

"Just play whatever you want." Chloe racked her brains for a melody that she knew by heart.

As Chloe played the first few notes, Beca picked up quickly what Chloe was playing. The redhead had picked _Halo_ by Beyonce. Smiling at Chloe's choice of song, Beca couldn't help but start singing along to the redhead's playing.

**Remember those walls I built?  
** **Well, baby they're tumbling down  
** **And they didn't even put up a fight  
** **They didn't even make a sound**

The sound of Beca's rich alto voice threw Chloe a little bit initially, but after the surprise wore off, the redhead grinned. Chloe was playing an arrangement of the song that didn't need a voice to it, but it sounded ten times better having someone sing, and it made it even better that it was Beca.

**I found a way to let you in  
** **But, I never really had a doubt  
** **Standing in the light of your halo  
** **I got my angel now**

Chloe found herself starting to get lost in Beca's voice. Granted she had listened to Beca's numerous vocal tracks many a time, but this was different. It felt more intimate. And Choe couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by her emotions at this point. She was falling in deeper with Beca, and she couldn't stop herself. Joining in to add her soprano belt to Beca's alto, she began to sing along as well.

**It's like I've been awakened  
** **(Every rule I had you breakin')  
** **It's the risk that I'm taking  
** **(I ain't never gonna shut you out!)**

Harmonizing with Beca just felt natural to Chloe. And unbeknownst to the redhead, the DJ sitting next to her on the piano bench was thinking the exact same thing. Beca was having a hard time keeping herself professional but managed it anyways. Beca couldn't help but notice how well her voice fit together with Chloe. The only other person that she had ever harmonized that well with was.. well.. Aubrey. And that hadn't happened since college.

**Everywhere I'm looking now  
** **I'm surrounded by your embrace  
** **Baby, I can see your halo  
** **You know you're my saving grace  
** **You're everything I need and more  
** **It's written all over your face  
** **Baby, I can feel your halo  
** **Pray it won't fade away**

By the time the chorus rolled around, both women were staring intently at the other. Chloe was trying to rationalize to herself that it was because she trying so hard to harmonize with Beca. That it was the reason for her face being literally inches away from Beca, staring at her mouth.

**I can feel your halo, halo, halo  
** **I can see your halo, halo, halo  
** **I can feel your halo, halo, halo  
** **I can see your halo, halo...  
** **Halo, ooh ooh…**

Realizing how close they really were, Beca pulled back first. Chloe on the other hand just tried to brush it off and ignore it, and instead of acting awkward, she just smiled widely. "That sounded amazing!" She gushed. "You've got a really nice voice Beca." The redhead added shyly.

Beca nodded slightly, more to herself than to Chloe. "You do too Chlo." She cleared her throat in an attempt to clear her mind of the fog that had invaded it. She blinked a couple of times before continuing. "You've got some mad piano skills. Where did you pick those up?" Chloe shrugged.

"I took lessons when I was about seven years old and had those for a few years before quitting in favor of school and singing. I always kept up on my own, though, playing songs by ear while I sang to them."And that led Beca to her next question.

"Did you even transpose or change up existing songs?" Chloe nodded.

"On occasion. Not that often, I wasn't that good at it. But I tried." Beca gave the redhead a crooked smile.

"Well, I believe that m'lady, is what we're going to work on. Call it your secret weapon if you will. If you're going to be singing covers on _The Voice_ then that ability will be a big help. It makes a song recognizable, but still different and unique. I'm sure you've heard renditions of songs on YouTube or something that sounds better than the original?" Chloe nodded.

"Yeah, there are some really talented cover artists out there." Beca nodded in agreement.

"Yep, and I think if we can cultivate that skill in you, that will give you a huge advantage on the show."

"You think?" Beca laughed.

"I know." Chloe smiled.

"Well, where do we start?" Beca glanced over at the clock and noticed the time. It was approaching noon. How they had been at the studio for nearly three hours was beyond Beca. She supposed that the old saying 'Time flies when you're having fun,' applied here.

Gesturing over at the clock, "I think we should start with food frankly." Chloe also took a look at the clock and gasped a little.

"Three hours? There's no way we've been here for three hours." Beca chuckled.

"Well, I think my clock disagrees. You want to grab some lunch and continue this later?" Chloe bit her lip.

"Don't you have other people to coach today?" She asked Beca uncertainly. She didn't really want to be separated from the brunette, but she also didn't want to monopolize her time if the DJ had other things to do. But instead, Beca just waved her off.

"Nah, I coerced Pharrell to handle everyone else today. I just wanted some quality time with my favorite redheaded singer." Chloe raised an eyebrow, teasingly.

"Oh really? Who's this singer?" Beca rolled her eyes playfully.

"Just some girl I met on the set of this singing show. Pretty good voice, killer body, no regards for personal boundaries." Beca said with a wink as Chloe blushed at the comment about her 'killer body.'

"Oh? She sounds interesting, you should let me meet her sometime." Beca just laughed loudly.

"I think you two will get along just fine. But in all seriousness, lunch? There's a really great Italian restaurant down the street." Beca looked at Chloe hopefully.

"Hey, sure why not?" Beca broke out in a smile.

"Awesome, we'll go have lunch then come back here and get to work?" Chloe nodded in agreement. Beca got up off the piano bench and offered her hand to Chloe, who took it and the brunette pulled her to her feet. The two women headed towards the elevator, the trip made mostly in silence, although it wasn't really an awkward silence. Nor was it really that comfortable, it was just silence.

When the two reached the ground floor, Beca let Anna know that they were going out to lunch and that they would be back in a bit. The brunette receptionist nodded. "Enjoy your lunch ladies."

* * *

The question of her friendship status with Beca had been gnawing away at Chloe the entire day. And once the two were seated and their orders were taken, she couldn't stop herself from blurting out the question that had been plaguing her. "Beca, are we friends?"

Beca paused, wondering where that question had come from out of the blue. But it also made Beca stop and think. This obviously wasn't your normal coach and athlete type of relationship. What coach took one of their pupils out for what was basically a lunch date, one on one? Not one that Beca had ever had. But the more she thought about it, she more she didn't find herself minding. She didn't have that many people in her life that she would consider friends per say. And she could easily picture Chloe Beale's name at the top of that very short list of friends. Although picturing that, it still felt a little off. Like she knew Chloe belonged there, but there was still something slightly wrong.

While Beca was contemplating her answer, Chloe almost facepalmed at her inability to keep her thoughts to herself, especially when they were awkward questions that were sometimes hard to answer. "I mean.. you don't have to answer. I was just.. ugh, I don't know what I was thinking. Forget I sai -" Beca held up a hand to silence Chloe.

"Hey Chlo, wait a second. Don't exactly know where that question came from, but yeah. I'd consider us friends, that is if you're alright with that?" Beca asked cautiously. She figured Chloe didn't have an issue since she brought it up in the first place, but it didn't hurt to get confirmation.

Chloe let out a breath that she didn't know she had been holding. "Yeah, I'm alright with that. More than alright really." Beca smiled.

"Good, then there's that settled. We're friends." Chloe internally squealed. This was more than she could have ever hoped for. She came into the world of _The Voice_ with the intention of pushing her career forward. And while that was still her ultimate goal, she also felt elated that she had come out of it with a new friend, Beca Mitchell of all people as well. She knew she really wished they could be more than just friends, but Beca was so far out of her league. Chloe would deal with just being friends.

Before Chloe had a chance to respond, though, their food was brought to their table and the two dug in. Chloe took the first bite of her pasta and nearly moaned in delight. Beca smirked.

"Told you it was good." Chloe nodded as she swallowed her bite.

"This is delicious. Where has this place been my entire life?" Beca laughed and shrugged.

The rest of their meal was spent chatting, mostly about Beca's musical career. Chloe found out that Beca had started out as a kid with a laptop, a pair of Beats headphones and a home mixing board, and that was about it. Beca admitted that she wasn't a very social person as a teenager and into college, so she threw herself into her mixes.

"I ultimately just wanted to be a world famous DJ. I would have stopped there, but then I met Pharrell and well, my career when in directions I never saw it taking. But I don't regret it. DJ'ing and mixing will always be my first love in the music industry, but I love all the different parts of it too." Chloe noticed that through their discussions, whenever the conversation drifted over to the brunette's personal life, she tended to subtlety reflect the topic back to her work.

Chloe couldn't help but be insatiably curious about the enigma that was Beca Mitchell, but she wasn't going to push. She figured that Beca would tell her what she wanted to tell her in her own time. Chloe wasn't usually a patient person, but when it came to Beca, a lot of things that she didn't usually do or wasn't usually, took a backseat to tiny DJ. And that scared Chloe more than she would admit to herself.

After the two finished their lunch, they argued over the check. Beca eventually won, insisting that she was the one who suggested lunch and that she had more money than she knew what to do with. Chloe begrudgingly let her pay, but only after promising that Beca would let her pay for the next one.

"Fine Beca, you win. But I'm paying next time." Beca raised an eyebrow.

"Next time?" Chloe blushed a little.

"I mean.. assuming there's going to be a next time." Chloe trailed off towards the end to a near silent whisper. She felt a little awkward and embarrassed at presuming.

"Hey, don't worry. There will be a next time. I'm sure you've come across some tiny restaurant gems in your time in LA that we should visit." Chloe nodded, feeling instantly better that Beca wanted to go out with her again. 'As friends, brain, only as friends.' Chloe thought to herself. Because if she was honest with herself, when she thought of eating out with Beca, her traitorous mind turned it into a date every time.

"Good, that's what I thought. Anyways, we probably should get back. We've got the whole afternoon to start on that piano skill of yours." Beca winked as she held the door open for Chloe. The redhead laughed and then the two walked together back towards Beca's recording studio. Somewhere along the way, Chloe had reached out and linked arms with the brunette. Both girls smiled at the contact, and Beca surprised herself by not wanting to distance herself from the redhead.

Chloe really was starting to break down her barriers. And what scared Beca the most about that, was that she didn't care.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for not uploading a chapter a day currently. Thanksgiving week has been pretty busy and hectic for me. I'll try my best to remember to upload.


	8. I Want To Record You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song(s) Used: 
> 
> Cups - Anna Kendrick  
> Payphone - Maroon 5  
> Paralyzed - Against the Current  
> Boys Round Here - Blake Shelton
> 
> See You Again - Wiz Khalifa Ft. Charlie Puth / Cover performed by Against The Current

It was a few days after their initial meet up at the DJ's personal studio setup. Beca had been teaching Chloe how to create new and unique covers, by helping her to transpose or even flat out rewrite the music to songs she wanted to sing. Beca had spent the entire afternoon teaching Chloe the basics of the theory behind what she wanted the redhead to do. But she left a lot of it up to Chloe to pursue of her own. Of course, the brunette DJ would be there if Chloe had questions or needed a little push, but Beca knew that Chloe was driven and motivated. She didn't want to be too overbearing and not let Chloe have her space.

Not to mention the fact she did have other team members to give her attention to, Pharrell could only do so much for her. She was the coach, he was the celebrity advisor. He had done her a solid when he agreed to cover for her when she spent the entire day with Chloe. Which she had to admit was one of the best days of her life. The more she learned about the redhead, the more she liked her. Chloe was a very energetic, bubbly, and enthusiastic individual. Normally Beca would be turned off by the overly peppy personality the redhead had, but she didn't it mind it much on Chloe. To be mean or rude to Chloe was like kicking a puppy, you just didn't do it unless you wanted bad karma for the rest of your life.

She really did consider Chloe a friend, which was odd for Beca, because the DJ had so few people she could call true friends, and it usually took months for someone to earn the title. She hadn't even known Chloe that long and already she was friends with the perky redhead. But if she was honest with herself, she didn't really care too much.

The day after her private session with Chloe, she returned to set to resume coaching the rest of her team. She took note of who she wanted to pair together in the Knockout rounds. She had a number of very strong singers on her team, but she wanted to come up with pairings that would truly challenge them. She didn't expect her team members to be perfect, she just wanted to see who would put more work and soul into it. She wanted to know who really wanted to be here, and who was only here because they might get a record deal.

She was currently in between sessions, and just chatting with Pharrell when her fellow artist brought up a topic that she really wanted to stay away from with him.

"So, how was your session with Chloe?" Beca glared at him as he gave her a knowing look. "C'mon Beca, I know you. It was a big deal to bring her to your studio to do stuff that you could easily do here. What excuse did you give her anyways?" Beca sighed, knowing her friend wouldn't let this go.

"I told her that my studio had some equipment that we didn't have here." Pharrell just laughed.

"Seriously Beca, she bought that? You might be a professional DJ, but honestly.. A show like this not having all the equipment you need to coach. She must really like you if she took that excuse. Or really wanted to get some alone time with you." Pharrell wiggled his eyebrows suggestively before Beca hit him on the chest.

"It's so not like that. She doesn't like me like that." Beca said.

"But you want her to? And I don't see you denying that you like her." Beca shut her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Doesn't matter what I feel, she's a contestant, I can't. Even if I wanted to." Beca added on at the end, as if it made it better.

"Sounds like your trying to convince yourself of that dude." Beca just huffed.

"Whatever man." Beca waved him off.

"Look Becs, I only want to see you happy. She does that, be it in a friend capacity or something more. She really does like you. You should see her face when you talk to her, it's like she's a young kid at Christmas who just got the exact thing they asked for." Beca raised an eyebrow and Pharrell just raised his hands in defense.

"That is one of the cheesiest comparisons I've ever heard you make." The artist just shrugged. And Beca shook her head before standing up. "I'm going to go get a coffee, you want one?" Pharrell shook his head.

"Is 'getting a coffee' code for 'going to find Chloe?'" Beca gave him the stink eye before flipping him off and leaving the studio. As she headed for the break room, she got lost in thought. Was Pharrell right? Did she really like Chloe as more than just a friend? Beca shook her head of that thought. Of course, she didn't. She couldn't afford to be feeling like that. Chloe was a contestant and she was a coach; it would almost be as bad as a teacher and student relationship.

 _Almost, but not quite._ Her brain said to her. But no, she couldn't do that to Chloe. She knew that if there was a more than friendly relationship between them, it could kill the redhead's career. Sure she was good, and in Beca's mind, that's what mattered. But to the rest of the industry, appearance and connections were just as important. If people were to know that Chloe was sleeping with a judge on _The Voice_ that would probably put her name in the toilet. People would think that Chloe had slept her way to winning. Which wouldn't be true of course. Beca judged everyone the same when it came to music, even people she had an intimate relationship with. That fact had been the cause of more than one relationships of hers to fall through.

Beca was so deep in thought that she didn't realize that she was about to run into another person before she was nearly on top of them. Pulled out of her thoughts, she immediately when to apologize to the other person, before noticing the mane of red hair and bright blue eyes in front of her.

"Oh hey, Chloe. Sorry, wasn't paying attention to where I was going." Beca said to the redhead.

"It's okay Beca! I was just heading back. Stacie and I decided to practice a bit together." Beca nodded. She was glad that the redhead was making friends with her fellow contestants.

"That's cool. I was just going to get myself a coffee before my next coaching session. Hey, are you free to meet me at my studio tomorrow?" Chloe nodded.

"Yeah, what time did you have in mind?" Beca mentally tried to figure out if she had anything important to do tomorrow, mentally groaning when she realized that she had a coaches rehearsal for a song they would be performing for the Knockout rounds.

"I've got a coaches thing in the morning but if you want to come to the set in the morning, we could leave after I'm done?" Chloe nodded in agreement.

"Sure, sounds great!" Chloe wrapped her arms around Beca, hugging the shorter woman before almost skipping off to where she was heading in the first place. Beca just shook her head, chuckling at the redhead's exuberance.

* * *

Beca stood on stage, waiting for Aubrey to finish with her rant about whatever the hell she was on about now, looking bored. "Beca, are you even listening to me?"

The DJ just shook her head as Aubrey fumed. "Look, Aubrey, sorry if I don't perform your song perfectly every time. But it was your choice for me to do yours, I could have easily done Adam or Blake's songs." The coaches were practicing for what would normally be the premier medley, where each of the coaches performed a part of someone else's hit song. But because both Beca and Aubrey were unable to prepare for it before the premier, they were going to do it at Knockouts instead. It was a popular performance by the coaches, and they didn't want to skimp out because two of the coaches had other performance commitments prior to the show. "Sometimes I wonder if you wanted me to do your song, just so you could get back at me for all the times I irritated you in college." You could almost see the steam come out of Aubrey's ears at the mention of their college years.

"I thought we both agreed to not bring up college again Beca." The DJ just shrugged. But before Aubrey could rip into her further, Adam stepped in.

"Look, I don't know what happened between you two, but seriously, leave it out of rehearsals, please?"

Beca rolled her eyes but nodded in agreement. "I will if she will."

Aubrey sighed and agreed as well.

"Good, now can we please get back to it?" Adam asked the two females.

"Okay, take it from the top again."

Blake was starting off, and funnily enough, he was performing Beca's song, _Cups._ It sounded kind of odd, coming from the country singer, but that was the point of the medley.

**I've got my ticket for the long way 'round  
** **Two bottle whiskey for the way  
** **And I sure would like some sweet company  
** **And I'm leaving tomorrow. What d'you say?**

Blake's voice would always have that hint of country in it, but that's what made performing a pop song entertaining. It took something that everyone had heard before and turned it on its head.

**When I'm gone, when I'm gone  
** **You're gonna miss me when I'm gone  
** **You're gonna miss me by my hair  
** **You're gonna miss me everywhere, oh  
** **You're gonna miss me when I'm gone**

Beca had to admit she was glad that Blake had agreed to do the song. She knew Aubrey would never do it, even if she wanted the blonde to sing it, and Adam, well.. It was the best thing ever to hear him sing a country song. Beca didn't want to get in the way of that. As the music for Beca's song faded out, Adam's song came on, which Aubrey was going to perform.

**I'm at a payphone trying to call home  
** **All of my change I spent on you  
** **Where have the times gone? Baby, it's all wrong  
** **Where are the plans we made for two?**

It was an interesting change of beat and pace between the two songs, but Beca being the master at mixing she was, managed to make it work. Aubrey's pop-country voice managed to go pretty well with the track, and Aubrey being Aubrey worked her ass off to make her version of the song sound as close to the original as possible.

**Yeah, I, I know it's hard to remember  
** **The people we used to be...  
** **It's even harder to picture,  
** **That you're not here next to me**

**You say it's too late to make it,  
** **But is it too late to try?  
** **And in our time that you wasted  
** **All of our bridges burned down**

Beca knew that Aubrey had a great voice, she couldn't deny that. She might have her differences with the blonde, but they had always been a good pair in the music department, bar Aubrey's controlling nature and Beca's natural reaction to push the other woman's buttons.

**I've wasted my nights,  
** **You turned out the lights  
** **Now I'm paralyzed.  
** **Still stuck in that time  
** **When we called it love  
** **But even the sun sets in paradise**

**I'm at a payphone trying to call home  
** **All of my change I spent on you  
** **Where have the times gone? Baby, it's all wrong  
** **Where are the plans we made for two?**

Blake began signing with Aubrey at the chorus and while you might think their voices wouldn't compliment each other, you'd be wrong. Both singers had a country influence in their voices, making it easier to harmonize than most would think.

Beca's part was up next, however, and the brunette just wanted to make it through the entire set before Aubrey decided someone didn't do something up to her standards.

**It feels like I'm paralyzed, and I can't  
** **escape from the prison I'm living in.  
** **I'm naming the voices in my head  
** **They keep on telling me to give in**

This was a little bit of a rock vibe than Beca usually heard from Aubrey, but she was glad the blonde hadn't tried to pick something that Beca would be completely unsuited to sing. Beca had to at least thank Aubrey for that little savings grace.

**But it's making me stronger  
** **Fight a little longer  
** **I'm gonna bring me back to life  
** **And I won't be paralyzed**

Adam was harmonizing with her on this song, and with both artists being a little more alternative rock, with some pop flair in their music, it made it natural to sing together.

For the last song, Adam was up, and Beca had to laugh at the fact that Adam Levine would be singing a country song; written by Blake Shelton no less. Adam, with the help of Beca and input from Blake, had rewritten the music a little bit to fit it in with the medley.

**Yeah the boys 'round here  
** **Drinking that ice cold beer  
** **Talkin' 'bout girls, talkin' 'bout trucks  
** **Runnin' them red dirt roads out, kicking up dust**

Adam was taking a smaller bit of the medley, and the other three coaches suspected it was because he didn't really on record that he sang even a little country. He even insisted that the other three sang with him for the latter half of the chorus.

**The boys 'round here  
** **Sending up a prayer to the man upstairs  
** **Backwoods legit, don't take no shit  
** **Chew tobacco, chew tobacco, chew tobacco, spit**

All four coaches agreed that they were done for the day after that performance. Even Aubrey couldn't find anything to nitpick, so they were going to go their separate ways. Beca was eager to get away, one because she just wanted to be away from Aubrey and two because she wanted to go find the redheaded singer that she had been thinking about for the last few days.

Beca wandered around until she finally found Chloe in a private studio, deep in thought, staring at her laptop screen. Beca gently knocked on the doorframe and Chloe looked up, giving Beca a large grin when she saw who it was.

"Hey, Becs! How did your rehearsal go?" Beca groaned. Chloe took that as a 'not so good' sign and just gave her a sympathetic smile. "Well, I'm sure it sounds good regardless, you're all such great singers. You ready to go?" Beca nodded as she watched Chloe pack up her laptop and grab her jacket.

The two walked out to the parking lot where Beca had parked her Lexus. Chloe admired the car as the two got in and Beca started the engine. "You've got a really nice car." Beca just shrugged.

"When you're a multi-Grammy winner, you can afford some of the nicer things in life I guess." Chloe laughed, but couldn't help but feel a bit envious. Not exactly because of Beca's wealth, partially that was it she guessed, but mostly because she was able to be so nonchalant about it. Chloe wasn't the worst off, but there had been some hard times in between gigs when she was barely making rent on her small apartment. "Anyways, enough about my nice car, what were you so deep in thought about earlier, if you don't mind me asking?" Chloe shook her head to indicate she didn't mind sharing.

"I was just working on rewriting the music to a song. I have it halfway done, but wanted to see what you thought of it." Chloe said nervously. She had been rewriting Wiz Khalifa's song _See You Again._ It was harder than she originally thought, because she had to basically rewrite all of the rap parts so she could sing it, but she had managed to struggle through it and thought she did a decent job at it.

"Yeah sure, it's a piano arrangement?" Chloe nodded. "Cool, so you want to play it for me when we get to the studio?"

"Yeah, I'd like your take on it." Beca was kind of excited to hear what Chloe had managed to put together. She kind of just threw Chloe into this without much help and she wanted to hear what the talented redhead had done.

Beca pulled up to her reserved parking space in front of the building and the two headed straight for the recording studio. While Beca went to go fiddle with the recording equipment in case she decided to use them that day, Chloe set up her laptop on the piano, as she had composed the new music electronically. Then she sat down on the bench and warmed up her fingers, playing a few scales.

The DJ wandered over and sat down next to Chloe, again the redhead noticing how close the two were sitting and a slight blush crept up her neck. Beca looked at her expectantly.

"Whenever you're ready." Chloe took a deep breath. 'Here goes nothing,' she thought.

**It's been a long day without you, my friend  
** **And I'll tell you all about it when I see you again  
** **We've come a long way from where we began  
** **Oh, I'll tell you all about it when I see you again  
** **When I see you again**

Beca was very surprised at Chloe's choice of song. She knew the redhead wasn't well versed at rap, so picking a Wiz Khalifa song was a little shocking. But she had faith that Chloe could pull this off, so she just continued to listen.

**Damn, who knew?  
** **All the planes we flew  
** **Good things we've been through  
** **That I'll be standing right here talking to you**

**'Bout another path  
** **I know we loved to hit the road and laugh  
** **But something told me that it wouldn't last  
** **Had to switch up**

**Look at things different, see the bigger picture  
** **Those were the days  
** **Hard work forever pays  
** **Now I see you in a better place (see you in a better place)**

**Uh  
** **How can we not talk about family when family's all that we got?  
** **Everything I went through you were standing there by my side  
** **And now you gon' be with me for the last ride**

Beca's eyebrows shot up. She was seriously impressed with Chloe's rewriting of the rap section of the song. She had managed to set it to a rock-ish pace and feel, and keep some of the driving force behind the section had it been rapped. But it wasn't rap, Chloe was singing the section. Beca hadn't expected this, and she was proud of Chloe.

**It's been a long day without you, my friend  
** **And I'll tell you all about it when I see you again (I see you again)  
** **We've come a long way (yeah, we came a long way) from where we began (you know we started)  
** **Oh, I'll tell you all about it when I'll see you again (let me tell you)  
** **When I'll see you again**

Bringing herself out of her initial surprise, Beca decided to harmonize with Chloe. And as she did, the redhead turned to Beca and give her an excited smile. It warmed Beca's heart to know that she caused the joy in the other singer's eyes. After the chorus, Chloe stopped playing and looked at Beca shyly.

"So, what did you think?"

"That was great Chloe! Seriously, I'm impressed. I didn't really know what to expect, but that certainly wasn't it. Are you sure you've never done this before?" Chloe giggled and shook her head. She had never written a song, nevermind a rap section to a singing part, but her chest still swelled at Beca's obvious pride at what Chloe had produced.

"Nope." She replied, popping the 'p.'

"Well, it doesn't show. You think you'd let me produce a track of this, between us of course." Chloe's eyes widened. Beca wanted to record her? Was she dreaming? Chloe nodded vigorously in agreement and then threw her arms tightly around the brunette sitting on the piano bench next to her. The DJ laughed. "I'll take that as a yes."

"A thousand times yes!" Chloe squealed excitedly.

"Good, because this is seriously amazing, I'd love to hear it professionally recorded. So, do you have the entire song done? Or just this part?"

"I only have this part concretely done. I've been working on the rest, and I have a general idea of how it'll go, but it's not all done yet." Chloe replied, mind still reeling that she was going to get to record, even a personal track with Beca.

"Well, tell you what, let me help you with the rest today, and if you want to come to the studio sometime this weekend we can record it?" Chloe squealed again and Beca just laughed at Chloe's excitement. Although deep down Beca was over the moon that she'd get to spend recording time with the talented artist. And she hoped that she'd spend more time with the redhead in the studio.

That being said, the two started to pour over what Chloe had already written and work together to make it a masterpiece.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp.


	9. Are You Telling Me That I'm Special?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song(s) Used: See You Again - Wiz Khalifa Ft Charlie Puth / Cover performed by Against the Current

Beca had gathered her team on set to talk to them about Knockouts. They were coming up soon, and Beca needed to tell them who they were pairing off with. She and Pharrell had put together pairings that would challenge her team, both in vocals and performance ability. Beca wanted to use Knockouts as another round to weed out those contestants who weren't one hundred percent committed to their craft. Beca could tell when an artist was really trying, and when an artist was just half-assing their work, just for the sake of it. She had been around enough musicians as a producer to just know.

"Okay ladies and gentlemen, I have here," Beca brandished a sheet of paper, "the pairings for the Knockout Rounds. I'm sure most of you know how they work already, but I'll give you a refresher course in case some of the details have slipped your mind. You'll be paired up with one other person on our team. You will independently choose what song you are going to sing, and your partner will not know what you are singing until the filming of Knockouts when he or she performs. The order will be decided between you two, however, if you can't come to an agreement, just flip a coin. After both of your performances, each of the coaches will give you critiques, and I will choose who stays. Simple, correct?" Beca took note of the nodding heads around the room.

"Good, if you have questions, come see me at some point, either during a coaching session, or if you just catch me at a free minute. I'm going to read off your pairs, so you know who you'll be facing off against. Again, you're not going to have to work as closely with your partner as you did for the Battle Rounds, as this is an independent performance. You'll most likely be working with me, your voice coaches and whomever else you need to prepare." Then Beca started rattling off names of pairs.

Chloe had been zoning out slightly during Beca's whole speech about the Knockout Rounds. She was actually thinking about what she wanted to sing. She obviously wanted to pick a song that she was feeling emotionally attached too, but at the same time, she didn't want to be horribly obvious about her feelings, especially those towards Beca. Chloe knew there were some talented performers on Beca's team and she wasn't going to let Beca down.

She knew that Beca was proud of her as a performer and she was determined to prove that Beca's pride wasn't misplaced. The redhead had been fortunate enough to be saved from elimination after Battle Rounds, and while she was confident about her abilities, she wasn't going to take her position on the show for granted. She was incredibly lucky to still be here, and she'd be damned if she got knocked out for a second time, especially right after her loss to Jesse. But to be honest, Chloe wasn't even really that mad about it. After all, it had landed her on Beca's team. Granted Chloe could have chosen Beca in the first place, but choosing Aubrey had seemed like a good idea at the time. And Chloe still respected what Aubrey had taught her. But after actually spending time with Beca, Chloe felt as though she hadn't just gained a mentor, but she had also gained a friend as well.

Chloe still didn't have many friends on the show. She had Beca of course, but that was a strange friendship. She was friendly enough with Aubrey, but being on Beca's team did strain what little of a relationship the two had. Chloe had no idea what went on between Beca and Aubrey to cause such a rivalry, and while she was curious, she was respectful of both women's privacy on the matter.

As for the contestants, she was really only friends with Stacie. The leggy brunette was extremely friendly and happy to practice and spend time with Chloe on set, despite the two being from opposing teams. Chloe could see herself keeping in contact with Stacie after the show was over. Beyond Stacie however, Chloe only knew people in passing. She was friendly terms with Jessica, Cynthia Rose, Ashley, Benji and Tom, but she didn't exactly consider them friends. And of course, there was Jesse. Chloe didn't really hold a grudge against him, and he was a nice guy, if a little egotistical.

From what she noted, Jesse seemed to monopolize a lot of Aubrey's time, and it made her wonder if Aubrey had already picked out her team member that she thought had the best potential to make it to the finals. And maybe if Chloe thought more about it, she'd notice that Beca was doing much the same with her. But before she could get that far, Beca shouted out her name.

"Chloe Beale and Bumper Allen." Chloe raised an eyebrow before looking over at the big headed jerk himself. Chloe hadn't really heard him sing before, but from what she had heard through the grapevine he was a talented person. Bumper stared back at Chloe, giving her a wink and a smirk. Chloe cringed a little before turning her attention back to Beca.

"Okay guys, that's it for today, you've all got your pairings. Now it's up to you to prepare the rest. Just make sure you let me know soon who is going to sing first and second so I can let the show's crew know." Beca's team slowly went their separate ways, but Bumper made his way over to Chloe.

"So I've made an executive decision to go first." Chloe just shrugged, she didn't really care what order they went.

"Fine by me."

"Good, prepare to actually get booted off this show Beale, I doubt a coach would save you again." Chloe seethed internally a little bit, but she wasn't going to let some egotistical garbage dick get to her.

"Don't flatter yourself Bumper. I won't need the save this time." Chloe flipped him off and stalked off, leaving Bumper to call after her.

"Hey, I'm only speaking the truth, no need to get your panties in a wad." Chloe just rolled her eyes at the desperate comeback and kept walking.

* * *

While Beca was preoccupied with other coach duties, Chloe sat alone in one of the big comfy chairs that were scattered around the set, laptop sitting on her thighs. Knowing that she was going to be going against that jerk Bumper Allen had set a fire behind Chloe's eyes. She was determined, not only to beat him but beat him badly. She didn't know much about his skill set besides his apparently good voice. But his skills in writing and singing covers, his performance value, she didn't know any of that. So she just figured she'd bring her A game and bank on it being better than whatever Bumper could pull out of his ass.

The redhead was currently just scrolling through her iTunes library, searching for what could be the perfect song. She easily passed up songs that she wasn't particularly attached to because she wanted the song to have meaning. Music, good music, came from the heart. And if she wasn't feeling it, she wouldn't perform it the best she could.

While she was searching, she heard someone sit down in a chair next to her, but she was so focused on her search, she didn't bother to look up to see who it was. She just waited for whoever it was to start talking to her if that was indeed the purpose of sitting next to her. She was surprised by the voice.

"How have you been Chloe? Seems like a while since we last spoke." Chloe looked up and saw Aubrey sitting in the chair next to hers. She was a little surprised that the blonde performer had just decided to strike up a seemingly random conversation with her.

"I've been good. I'd like to think my skills are improving tenfold." Aubrey lightly scoffed.

"With Mitchell as a coach? You must be a tougher person than I originally thought." Chloe was a little offended at that statement and got a little defensive of Beca.

"Hey, Beca is a great coach. I've learned a lot." Aubrey raised her hands in surrender, deciding not to push the redhead. She wasn't here to start an argument over the tiny DJ.

"Okay okay, well I'm at least glad you've been getting better. You are a strong pick, even when you were back on my team. I hated to pick between you and Jesse, I hope you know that." Aubrey said sincerely. Chloe just nodded.

"No, I get it, what matters is that I'm still here I suppose. No offense intended, but I think Beca is more the coaching style for me if I'm brutally honest." Chloe was a little nervous in wake of Aubrey's reaction to her confession, but she didn't want to bullshit the blonde. Aubrey just nodded slightly.

"Well, I'm glad her coaching style works for some people." Chloe could hear the slight disdain for Beca dripping from Aubrey's voice and she couldn't help what she blurted out.

"Why are you two such bitter rivals?" Chloe questioned, before her hand flew to her mouth, embarrassed about her word vomit. "Oh my god, I'm sorry. That was a totes inappropriate question. Don't answer that." Aubrey chuckled a little at Chloe's embarrassment but then sighed.

"Beca and I.. We have a long and bitter history that ended on less than friendly terms. I don't think our.. relationship for lack of a better word, ended on a note that either of us intended, but we're both too stubborn to confront the other about it." Chloe was a little shocked at Aubrey's forthcomingness. She hadn't expected Aubrey to admit that to her. In fact, she had expected the blonde to get angry at her for bringing up Beca.

"Oh, well.." Chloe wasn't sure what to say. Thankfully, Aubrey cut her off before she had to put her foot in her mouth again.

"What's done is done, however. Neither of us is willing to fix whatever it is we ever had. And I don't think that will change. I think we'd both just rather forget what happened. And I can't speak for Beca, but at least for me, it's been hard working with her on _The Voice._ "

"Then why do it? I'm sure you both knew the other would be a coach?" Chloe again had a case of word vomit. She had no idea what was wrong with her, perhaps she was interested in whatever happened between the two. Aubrey, despite her hatred towards Beca, was a window into the DJ's past. A past that Chloe was deeply interested in. But despite this, she still groaned at the words that came out of her mouth and facepalmed.

"Because we're both stubborn. As much as I dislike Beca, I know her. We both weren't going to let the other get in the way of something that we really wanted to do. Beca and I both had connections into the industry, we had mentors. I, at least, wanted to give back what I had once received. And I'd imagine that Beca thought the same." Chloe nodded, she could understand where Aubrey was coming from. "Anyways, enough about me and Beca. If she hasn't shared any of this with you, I'd assume that she wants to forget as much as I do." Chloe looked at Aubrey, apologetically.

"I'm sorry for bringing it up. Sometimes my mouth works before my brain."

"It's fine Chloe. You didn't know, not your fault you're curious. Anyways, I just stopped by to say hi before my next session. We might not have been together for that long, but you still were once one of mine. I'm looking forward to seeing you at Knockouts." Aubrey patting Chloe on the shoulder before standing and walking off again.

The redhead sighed, digesting this new information about Aubrey and Beca's history. It almost made her predicament worse. She was dying to ask Beca about it, but she figured that the DJ wouldn't be as forthcoming with information as Aubrey had been. She didn't want to offend one of the few friends she had on set. Especially the one she had with Beca. So for now, Chloe was going to store that information. Maybe at some point, she could ask Beca about it but now was definitely not that time.

With that in mind, Chloe went back to searching for the perfect song.

* * *

"I think that you should see one of the voice coaches and have them work on your low notes. You've got a good high range, but I know you can hit some of the lower notes perfectly with a little work." Donald nodded and turned to leave. "Oh, and Donald, good job today. Looking forward to your performance at Knockouts."

"Thanks, Beca. Can't wait." He replied before exiting the studio in search of a voice coach.

Beca relaxed back in her chair. Donald was her last session for the day. She was looking forward to the rest of her afternoon because she was finally going to put Chloe in the recording booth to record the redhead's version of _See You Again_. The pair had been working at perfecting the arrangement for the last few days and Beca was honestly still impressed with Chloe.

She had ideas for parts of the arrangement that Beca would never have thought of, but they sounded just as good, if not better than something the DJ would have come up with herself. She was excited to bring Chloe back to the recording studio to get started on putting together a track.

Beca had to admit, she did have a few ulterior motives for offering to produce a track of the song. One big plus was that she got to spend time alone with the redhead. She really did enjoy Chloe's company. The two of them just clicked and got along famously. And for another, she wanted to subtlety help Chloe's career along. Beca knew that Chloe could win the entire show. But it would be foolish to believe it was in the bag. Beca didn't know if she was going to keep contact with Chloe after the show was over, she hoped, but didn't know. If all Chloe got from their friendship was one hell of a demo track to send producers, well, who was she to stand in the way of that.

Even though Beca internally knew that Chloe wouldn't just drop her after the show was over, she couldn't help but still be nervous about it. She had enough people walk out on her early in her life. Which was one of the main reasons she was so reluctant to open up to many people. Once they knew her and she got attached, Beca held on tight. She had already done that with Chloe and Beca knew if they got any closer, it would break her if Chloe just left. She may be a big shot music producer, but she still had feelings just like any other person. She had her vulnerabilities.

Beca never had a friend like that. Sure, as a teenager and even into young adulthood, she had a few friends walk out on her for various reasons. Hell, even her own dad did. But she eventually got over those, even her father after a while. But knowing that Chloe breaking off their friendship could break her? That was new for Beca, she guarded herself carefully, and Chloe had basically demolished those walls. It was scary, and yet exhilarating to Beca. As hard as it was for her, she just had to trust that Chloe wouldn't give up on their friendship after _The Voice_ ended.

Pushing those thoughts to the side, Beca packed up her stuff and went in search of Chloe. The redhead was still in the same chair she had been all morning. Beca thought she might surprise the redhead, so she crept up behind the redhead, who was so engrossed in her laptop, that she didn't notice anything going on around her.

"Boo!" Beca yelled as she almost slapped her hands onto Chloe's shoulders. The redhead jumped and yelped, before turning around. Seeing who it was, she glared.

"Beca! That wasn't funny!" She pouted as Beca laughed at the cute expression on her friend's face. 'Wait, cute?'

"I, m'lady, beg to differ. Anyways, are you ready to head out?" Chloe pretended to ponder Beca's question.

"I don't know. I mean, it is safe to go with someone who just sneaks up behind people to scare them?" Beca sighed.

"Alright Chloe, I'm sorry. Can we please go?" Chloe snickered.

"Only because you asked so nicely. I am going to get you back for this, though." Beca raised an eyebrow.

"You sure about that Beale?" She said challengingly.

"Yup," Chloe said simply as she shut off her laptop and follow Beca out to her car. Once the two were comfortably situated and Beca pulled out of the set parking lot, Chloe turned to Beca.

"So, how was your coaching sessions?" Beca shrugged.

"Nothing that special. Just the usual I suppose."

"What exactly is the usual?" Beca paused. She supposed Chloe didn't really know what the usual coaching session was like. Nothing about her time with Chloe was usual.

"Well, I meet with the singer, we talk for a little bit about what they want to work on, and what they've been doing so far. Then we get to the actual music. Depends on the person, because you're all at different skill levels and have different ranges of talents. Sometimes it's vocal exercises, sometimes it's performances tweaks, it really just depends."

"Oh, that sounds.. riveting." Chloe made a face. And Beca laughed.

"I suppose, but not everyone is on the same level as you Chlo," Chloe smirked.

"Are you telling me that I'm special, Ms. Mitchell?" Beca felt a light blush creeping up her neck, before scoffing.

"You don't think I bring everyone back to my personal studio, do you?" Chloe's eyes gleamed and took the open opportunity.

"You never know, maybe you're just trying to get me alone so you can have your way with me." Beca almost choked on her own spit. She wasn't prepared for Chloe's blatant flirtatiousness and frankly, Beca didn't really know how to respond.

"I.. I mean.. wait, what?" Chloe laughed nervously, hoping she hadn't crossed a line.

"I'm just pulling your chain Beca, don't worry." The two laughed it off as they pulled into Beca's parking spot in front of the studio. The two walked through the reception area, both of them warmly greeting Anna before heading up.

Once they were in the studio, Beca started setting up her equipment, as Chloe set down all her stuff. She was a little nervous to be in front of a microphone. They had recorded the piano track the other day, and now Chloe just needed to record the vocals and Beca would work her production magic. The redhead had obviously sung in front of Beca before, but this time Beca was kind of her producer. She felt a new sense of need to impress the brunette. To prove that she belonged behind a mic.

"Alright Chlo, I'm assuming you haven't had much experience in a recording booth if any at all?" Chloe shook her head.

"Nope, none whatsoever." Beca nodded.

"Alright, well when you get in there, just put the headphones on and I'll talk you through it. Please don't touch the mic, though."

"Okay," Chloe replied as she opened the door to the recording booth and put the Beats headphones over her ears. She watched Beca fiddle with a few knobs on her mixing board, before pushing the intercom button.

"Alright Chloe, so I'm just going to play the track and you should hear it through your headphones. Just sing along like we've done at the piano. Don't worry about getting it perfect the first time. Just get a feel for everything, okay?" Chloe nodded in acknowledgment as Beca took her finger off the intercom button.

Beca pressed play on the stereo as she heard the familiar tune the two had been working on for the past few days. Chloe, on the other hand, felt nervous for the intro, but once it was her turn to sing, she felt all of that worry melt away and give way to confidence.

**It's been a long day without you my friend**  
**And I'll tell you all about it when I see you again**  
**We've come a long way from where we began**  
**Oh I'll tell you all about it when I see you again  
** **when I see you again**

Chloe made her way through the song, and when the music ended, she let out a sigh of relief. She had gotten through her first time behind a microphone in a recording booth. She was actually excited about that. This was a big milestone for her. Granted, it was more for fun than work, but she was still glad that she had that chance. And she was also over the moon that it was Beca that she was sharing this moment with.

"That sounded good for a first time Chlo." Beca gave Chloe the thumbs up. "You ready to go again?" Chloe nodded and the DJ pressed play again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So looking back over when I actually wrote this chapter, I had initially intended to go straight to knockouts, but I wrote a little bit more to help develop the characters and relationships. This story is one of the first I had ever written that involved as detailed characters as they are here. Something that was difficult for me at the time, so I'm pretty proud where it turned out.


	10. Knockouts: Part I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song(s) Used: 
> 
> Sweet Dreams - Beyonce  
> Kings and Queens - 30 Seconds to Mars

Beca was sitting at her desk in her apartment, staring at her computer monitor. Frustrated, she started playing with her hair, a habit she had picked up as a teenager. She had Chloe's vocals and piano track in front of her and she was currently working on producing them into a killer track. She couldn't help but think there was something missing. Chloe had put together a beautifully arranged piece, but there was something that it needed. A little extra kick.

An idea suddenly popped into her head. She picked her guitar up off the stand next to the desk and plugged it into her equipment. Setting up her desk mic with the pop filter, she pressed the playback button on Chloe's track and hit record.

* * *

It had been a week since Beca and Chloe had been in the recording booth, and a few days since Chloe had seen Beca. Or at least talked to the DJ. Beca had been busy working with her team on Knockouts since they would begin filming in a few days. Chloe had chosen the track she was going to sing the night after she had been in the studio, recording with Beca.

That was a special night for her, and she was feeling particularly inspired. So as soon as she had gotten back to her little apartment, she had cracked open her laptop and found the perfect song. Scrolling through her iTunes library again, starting from the top, she had found what she was looking for. A song she connected to, a song that she wanted to sing. She couldn't believe she had passed it over the first time. But now looking at it, she knew it was the one. It described her feelings perfectly but didn't give too much away. At least, not in a way that made it overtly obvious.

Chloe wanted to keep her song a surprise, though. And the next day when she saw Beca, she told the brunette as much. Beca was initially a little apprehensive about not knowing what the redhead would sing.

"Please, Beca? I can do this. I just want it to be a surprise."

"I don't know Chloe. I mean, I'm your coach, I should be helping you through this." Chloe sighed.

"I know, but just trust me. You said it yourself that I have a talent. I'm not going to need much in the way of stage stuff, just a few low lights and a microphone." Chloe said with puppy dog eyes and a pout. 'And maybe a piano.' Chloe added on in her thoughts.

"Why are you so invested in your song being a surprise?" Chloe had been expecting that question, but even so, she hadn't really prepared a good answer

"I.." Chloe faltered but decided to tell Beca the truth, to a degree at least. "I'm going, to be honest with you Beca."

'Well as honest as I can be without admitting I have a huge crush on you,' the redhead thought to herself.

"I want to prove to everyone that I belong here. I'm lucky you saved me." Chloe noticed Beca was going to cut her off in protest, but she spoke quickly as to not give her time. "And I know what you're going to say. That I deserve to be here, and maybe I know that too, deep down. But I want to show you, the world and maybe most importantly, myself, that I can do it. That I really deserve it. You've given me a lot while I've been here Beca. And I appreciate every minute of it, maybe more than you realize. All I'm asking is that you trust in what you've given me." Chloe finished quietly. She waited for Beca's answer. She could see the indecision in Beca's eyes, but she also saw a softness behind them that she hadn't seen in Beca before.

"Okay." The brunette relented. Chloe grinned widely before throwing her arms around Beca, hugging the shorter girl tightly. Beca wrapped her arms around Chloe's waist and smiled at the excited redhead.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you! I won't let you down!" Chloe squealed. While she had known that she could probably convince Beca to let her song be a surprise, it was different actually hearing Beca agree to it.

"You are going to have to get another coach to clear your song, though. Everyone's songs needs a coach's permission, mainly because we need to clear the song to make sure the song is appropriate and the artist doesn't have objections." Chloe nodded, she figured she could _probably_ coerce Aubrey into signing off on her song. She just hugged Beca tighter before the brunette's insistence of her need for air made Chloe let go. "Don't make me regret this Beale," Beca said playfully.

"You won't Beca!" Chloe said before running off in search of the blonde coach. She wanted to get her song approved as soon as possible, so she could start planning her stage setup and really get to work on her arrangement. She had a rough idea, but she needed to fine tune it before she was ready for Knockouts. Beca watched the happy redhead run off, shaking her head in amusement at her excitement.

* * *

After a little bit of searching, Chloe finally managed to track down Aubrey. And luckily for her, the blonde was in between sessions, so she knocked on the studio door before entering. Aubrey looked at Chloe, confused as to why she was there, but invited her in anyways. "Aubrey, can I talk to you about something quickly?" The blonde nodded and gestured for Chloe to take a seat.

"What is it, Chloe? Not to be rude, but I don't have a lot of time until my next session, so it'll have to be quick." Chloe took a breath.

"Will you clear my song for the Knockouts?" Aubrey shot Chloe a confused look.

"Why can't Mitchell do it?" The redhead sighed.

"I wanted to surprise her with it." Aubrey furrowed her brow.

"How come?" Such a simple question with such a complicated answer.

"I just.. I want to prove myself to her. She's been helping me a lot, and to be truthful, I've noticed she spends a lot more time with me than some of the other people on our team." Aubrey found that piece of information interesting and stored that for later. "I wanted to surprise her with my song for Knockouts. To prove that I can utilize what she's given me without help." Aubrey was a little shocked at Chloe's admission. She had never met somebody who was that invested in their craft this early in their career. Most artists at Chloe's stage would take all the help they could get, especially in her position, with all the resources she had available. Aubrey had to admire the conviction she saw in Chloe. Learning was one thing, but using learned knowledge was another.

"You know, if it had been anyone else, I probably would say no. But I can see how much this means to you, Chloe." Aubrey pulled out a sheet of paper and handed it to Chloe. "Fill this out, and I'll make sure your song gets taken care of." Chloe looked at Aubrey gratefully. She had expected it to be a little harder to convince Aubrey, but she was glad that it wasn't.

She grabbed a pen out of her bag and looked over the sheet Aubrey had given her. It was a simple form. It asked her name, song choice, any extra props or what not she would need, and had a place to schedule a time to work with the stage crew, to talk with them about what she wanted during her performance. Then at the bottom was a line for her signature, the date, and a coach's signature.

Chloe filled the form out quickly. She wasn't going to need much for her song; she wanted some of the lights on stage to be dimly lit to provide the right atmosphere, but she wasn't going for anything flashy. She also was going to need a piano. If she was going to be arranging her own music, she might as well play it as well. She figured it might be unwise to throw her piano abilities out there so soon, but if she moved on, she would be in the Live Playoffs, and she didn't know if she wanted her first time playing piano on the show to be live.

She handed the form back to Aubrey, who looked it over quickly. Smiling at Chloe's choice of song, she nodded. "I can tell you right now, without even looking to clear the song, that it'll be fine. I'm pretty sure someone sang this for Blinds." Chloe nodded, a little nervous that her song had been performed once on the show already. But she didn't let it get to her too much. It was going to be a different singer, a different arrangement, everything.

"Thank you so much for this Aubrey." The blonde just nodded.

"No problem. Good luck with Knockouts. I'll look forward to hearing you sing. You know, I haven't actually heard you since Battle Rounds. I'm interested to see what Mitchell has taught you." Chloe smirked.

"I'll be sure to blow you away." The pair laughed before there was a knock at the door. Jessica poked her head in the door.

"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" Aubrey shook her head.

"Nope, Chloe was just leaving. Sorry to cut our conversation short, but my next session is here Chloe. I'll see you later?" Chloe nodded before getting up to leave, letting Aubrey get back to coaching. A weight being lifted off her shoulders. She was going to be able to surprise Beca with her song. Now she just needed to get to arranging and practicing it out of earshot of the DJ.

* * *

Although they both knew that Chloe wanted to surprise Beca, and Beca had been preoccupied with other contestants who were at different levels of stress about Knockouts, both women missed the other. They had become accustomed to seeing each other at least a few days each week, usually alone in Beca's studio. But with Chloe throwing herself into work for Knockouts and having to avoid Beca during that time, it made things a little difficult for her.

She had met with the stage crew a couple days before filming began for Knockouts, and they promised that the stage would be perfectly the way she wanted it. She didn't need too much for her performance. A white grand piano would be wheeled onto the stage when Bumper had finished his number, a microphone would be set up on the piano, and there would be some golden backlighting with a soft white spotlight. She knew this was going to be perfect setup and was going to blow Bumper's ass right out of the water. Not to mention impress Beca, she hoped at least.

Chloe hoped to God that it wasn't going to come across to Beca as romantic, even if that might be the way she was intending it subconsciously. Ever since their recording session, and her insistence at surprising Beca with her song for Knockouts, she was starting less and less to believe the excuse she had been spouting to anyone who asked. She wasn't doing this to prove that she belonged. She was doing this to impress Beca. She wanted, as stupid as it might be, for Beca to notice her. The tiny DJ with her snarky and sarcastic attitude had been wearing her resolve down for the last few weeks. She didn't want to just be friends with Beca. And at this point, she was seriously considering just going all out. What did she really have to lose?

Chloe shook her head. The lack of focus on anything but her Knockout performance must have been getting to her brain, the logic part of it in particular. She had a lot to lose if she attempted to flirt with Beca and the brunette didn't return her feelings. It would make the rest of the show awkward, to be around Beca. Not to mention it would make their friendship awkward, and at this point, her friendship with Beca was one of the things she cherished the most.

The real question, Chloe figured, was the possibility of trying to start something with Beca worth the risk if they didn't work out? And if they did work out, what did that mean for her career?

* * *

It was time to start filming Knockouts. Adam's team was up first, then Aubrey, followed by Beca, then Blake. And within their team slots, all the pairs were assigned a number corresponding to the order in which each pair would go. Chloe and Bumper had managed to grab themselves the number three spot, so they had a little time to prepare. Not to mention they had time to watch other pairs perform and take note of who they might be going up against in the future. There was going to be two days of straight filming for Knockouts, Adam and Aubrey's teams the first, then Beca and Blake's team the second. So while some contestants took the time while others were filming to do last minute practice, Chloe decided to join the large studio audience to watch some of the others.

She was particularly interested to see Stacie perform. The two had formed a close friendship in their time on set. She often sought out the tall brunette for practice time and advice. Sometimes the pair just took a break to hang out with each other. Besides Beca, Stacie had become Chloe's best friend on set.

As Stacie and her partner, Jason, were up, Chloe started paying closer attention, not wanting to miss a minute of her friend's performance.

"Next up, for Team Adam, singing _Sweet Dreams_ by Beyonce, Stacie Conrad!" Chloe clapped and cheered as the lights dimmed. The familiar music of the Beyonce song played loudly as somewhere from backstage, Stacie started her performance.

**(Turn the lights on!)**

The crowd cheering, Stacie walked out on stage, a smirk plastered on her face, sassy gleam in her eyes. Chloe noted then and there how talented her friend truly was. Stacie was brimming with confidence, and to Chloe's amusement, sex appeal. The brunette certainly knew how to work an audience.

**Every night I rush to my bed**  
**With hopes that maybe I'll get a chance to see you when I close my eyes  
** **I'm going outta my head**

**Lost in a fairy-tale**  
**Can you hold my hands and be my guide?  
** **Clouds filled with stars cover your skies**

**And I hope it rains**  
**You're the perfect lullaby  
** **What kind of dream is this?**

Stacie had a headset mic on, and as she worked for the crowd, dancing to the lyrics of the music. Chloe watched as she drew them in. The singer had a rare gift for looking sexy, yet still completely classy. Add in the natural power and sass that you got with singing anything from Beyonce, and Chloe knew that Jason didn't stand a chance against the brunette powerhouse.

**You can be a sweet dream or a beautiful nightmare**  
**Either way, I, don't wanna wake up from you**  
**(Turn the lights on!)**  
**Sweet dream or a beautiful nightmare**  
**Somebody pinch me, your loves too good to be true  
** **(Turn the lights on!)**

As she got the chorus, the stage was lit up in bright lights and sparks, pumping the energy in the room up tenfold. Chloe could feel the buzz and hype around the room. The redhead was almost intimidated by the brunette and knew that Stacie was going to be a force to be reckoned with.

**My guilty pleasure I ain't goin nowhere**  
**Baby, long as you're here**  
**I'll be floating on air cause you're my, you're my...**  
**You can be a sweet dream or a beautiful nightmare  
** **Either way I, don't wanna wake up from you**

Chloe watched her friend as she performed the rest of her song. Chloe briefly caught sight of Jason, mouth wide open. She saw the expression of 'shit I'm fucked' on his face. She had to stop herself from laughing at the poor boy. As Stacie closed her performance, she bowed and then blew the audience a kiss and winked at them. Chloe laughed at the brunette's finisher as Stacie walked off stage.

"Wow, that was some performance, wasn't it ladies and gentlemen?" Carson announced as the crowd cheered louder for the brunette. "Up next, facing off against Stacie, singing _Kings and Queens_ by 30 Seconds to Mars, we have Jason Arky!" The crowd cheered for the singer, as she walked off stage. The nervousness, Chloe thought at least, was still apparent behind his eyes, but he tried to give off an aura of confidence as Stacie had.

Chloe didn't pay nearly as much attention to his performance, although she did note that he had a nice voice.

**We were the kings and queens of promise**  
**We were the victims of ourselves**  
**Maybe the children of a lesser God  
** **Between Heaven and Hell.**

It took a talented singer to pull off a 30 Seconds to Mars song and not sound horrible. But Chloe had to admit that Jason did. She supposed there was a reason he was here in the first place. He wouldn't have made the show if he wasn't good. Jason had a good voice for alternative rock, but Chloe thought that Stacie had done better. Maybe she was just biased, or maybe she just wasn't paying as much attention to Jason's performance. But whatever it was, it seemed as though the judges agreed with her. Stacie was going to be moving on to Live Playoffs.

Chloe took the time to sneak out of the audience and run backstage to congratulate her friend.

"You did it!" Chloe squealed, grabbing Stacie's arms as she bobbed up and down. Stacie grinned at her excited friend.

"Yeah! I did, didn't I? The coaches seemed impressed with my performance. Called me a 'performance powerhouse.' Or something."

"You are though Stacie. You did great." Stacie nodded.

"I'm sure you'll do just as good, if not better. You're a natural on stage, and you've got a great voice." Chloe blushed a little at the compliment.

"Thanks, I hope so. I haven't actually performed my song in front of Beca yet, so I'm hoping she'll like it." Stacie raised an eyebrow. She was suspicious of Chloe's true feelings for Beca for a while, but the vulnerability in Chloe's voice confirmed her thoughts.

"This means a lot more to you than just moving on to Playoffs doesn't it?" Chloe pursed her lips together, debating what to tell Stacie. She figured the brunette was trustworthy enough to admit her feelings to.

"Look, I don't really want to talk about it here, but yes." Stacie looked Chloe in the eye and smiled.

"Well, I"m sure she'll like it." Chloe smiled.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence Stacie."

"What are friends for?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So once upon a time, this was actually chapter 10 & 11 together, but that ended up being so long that I split it into two. Anyways, I hope you guys like it. Stacie becomes a little bit of a more important and visable character from here on out. 
> 
> Also, sorry for not updating yesterday, Supergirl/SuperCorp had me bawling my eyes out and fangirling all day.


	11. Knockouts: Part II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Songs Used: Blurred Lines - Robin Thicke ft. Pharrell Williams  
> Chloe's Knockout Song (It's surprise! Remember?)

The next day, Beca and Blake's teams were up. Chloe was feeling a mixture of nervousness and excitement for the day. On one hand, she was confident in her abilities and her arrangement. But on the other hand, she would be performing this in front of Beca. Chloe had made up her mind to test the waters between Beca and herself. It had been a decision she hadn't made lightly and went back and forth in her mind for days. But she decided to loosen the leash on her feelings a little bit and see where it took them. She just hoped she didn't mess things up between Beca and herself. She was going to be devastated if Beca only wanted to be friends. Or worse, if she couldn't stand being around Chloe because of her feelings.

Chloe was standing backstage, waiting for the pair before them to finish up when Bumper approached her. "You ready to lose Beale?" He said with an air of arrogance to his tone.

"In your dreams." Chloe scoffed. She was going to blow Bumper's smug butt right off the show.

As the other pair who had gone before them walked off stage, Bumper threw Chloe one last smirk. "Looks like that's my cue. Enjoy your last few minutes of fame." Chloe just rolled her eyes as Carson announced Bumper.

"And now, from Team Beca, singing _Blurred Lines_ by Robin Thicke, Bumper Allen!" Chloe was somewhat disgusted by Bumper's choice of song. Leave it to a dickhead to sing that song. It was a catchy tune, and most people didn't think about the meaning, but Chloe did. And she couldn't say she approved. Not that her opinion really mattered.

**If you can't hear what I'm trying to say**  
**If you can't read from the same page**  
**Maybe I'm going deaf**  
**Maybe I'm going blind  
** **Maybe I'm out of my mind**

Seemed like Bumper was leaving Pharrell's part in the song to backup vocalists. While Chloe had to begrudgingly admit Bumper was talented, she didn't really feel threatened by him. When she got her chance to show him up, listening to him sing this garbage song would all be worth it.

**Ok, now he was close**  
**Tried to domesticate you**  
**But you're an animal  
** **Baby, it's in your nature**

**Just let me liberate you**  
**You don't need no papers**  
**That man is not your maker  
** **And that's why I'm gon' take a**

Bumper had bright lights going behind him, and he was trying to get the audience and coaches interested in him. Although, from what Chloe observed, Aubrey wasn't too impressed by his song choice either. Adam and Blake had the tact to just observe and watch. And Beca almost looked bored. The redhead was slightly amused by the look on Beca's face. To anyone who didn't know the brunette, it would look like Beca was just quietly watching. But to Chloe, Beca had look on her face that signified that she was feigning paying attention, but she was really a little checked out.

**Good girl**  
**I know you want it**  
**I know you want it**  
**I know you want it  
** **You're a good girl**

**Can't let it get past me**  
**You're far from plastic**  
**Talk about getting blasted  
** **I hate these blurred lines**

It was almost painful for Chloe to watch Bumper's performance. She rolled her eyes at the man's ego. It was apparent that he really took to the song and believed that he was God's gift to the world of women. Chloe took the rest of the time to calm herself down and mentally prepare herself for what she was about to do.

When Bumper's song was over, the crowd cheered and clapped for the guy as he bowed and walked off stage. As he passed Chloe, he briefly stopped.

"Don't worry Beale, you're going to be awesome..ly horrible. I hate you, kill yourself." Chloe's jaw dropped at Bumpers comment. The man just smirked and pumped his fist in the air. "Girl power!" He said mockingly.

"Whatever Bumper. Willing to put your money where your mouth is?" And without waiting for an answer, she walked away from him, taking her place backstage. A white piano had been rolled out onto the stage, and the lights dimmed.

Chloe had opted to wear a red dress that hung off of one shoulder and tastefully showed off a little cleavage. She was happy to see a vase of red roses that sat on the top of the piano, an accent to compliment her outfit.

"And now, singing _Just The Way You Are_ by Bruno Mars, Chloe Beale!" The crowd cheered and hollered. As Chloe walked onto the stage confidently, her eyes flicked down towards Beca and she noticed the brunette clapping, but she also picked up the slight widening of Beca's eyes as she took in the redhead's appearance.

Sitting down at the piano bench, Chloe tuned everything else out. Placing her hands on ivory keys, Chloe took a deep breath. She had worked hard on this arrangement, and now everyone was going to hear it. Playing over the intro, she felt the heat of the lights on her and a quiet descended over the audience.

**Oh, her eyes, her eyes**  
**Make the stars look like they're not shinin'**  
**Her hair, her hair  
** **Falls perfectly without her trying**

**She's so beautiful**  
**And I tell her everyday  
** **Yeah**

Down in the coach's chair, Beca was stunned. When Chloe said she wanted to surprise her with her song choice, she hadn't expected this. The redhead had truly gone all out. Her setup of the stage was beautiful, from what Beca had picked up from the arrangement so far, Chloe had done an amazing job. And maybe what was more, the redhead looked gorgeous. Beca had to check herself, that she wasn't drooling. Chloe was making it harder and harder to find reasons that Beca shouldn't just pursue the redhead.

**I know, I know**  
**When I compliment her she won't believe me  
** **And it's so, it's so**

**Sad to think that she don't see what I see**  
**But every time she asks me, "Do I look okay?"  
** **I say,**

It was going to be a hands down easy decision for Beca. Bumper was talented, but he didn't hold a candle to Chloe. Beca, for the first time, felt like being biased in her judgment of music. But only slightly. There was no argument that Chloe was flat out better, but to Beca, Chloe's soprano voice sounded like the voice of an angel.

**When I see your face**  
**There's not a thing that I would change**  
**'Cause you're amazing  
** **Just the way you are**

**And when you smile**  
**The whole world stops and stares for a while**  
**'Cause, girl, you're amazing**  
**Just the way you are  
** **Yeah**

Chloe kept her focus on her singing. She was showcasing her voice with this performance, not her ability to captivate an audience. However, she was doing a damn good job of it. The emotion and passion she poured into the song, if she had decided to look up, she would have noticed some of the audience members with tears in their eyes. All four coaches looked impressed with the redhead. Aubrey smiled at the artist. She really had grown in the last few weeks. Aubrey glanced over at Beca who was engrossed in Chloe's performance. 'Beca can't be all bad if she is that invested in Chloe.' Aubrey thought to herself.

**Her lips, her lips**  
**I could kiss them all day if she'd let me**  
**Her laugh, her laugh**  
**She hates but I think it's so sexy**  
**She's so beautiful  
** **And I tell her everyday,**

It did not escape Stacie, who was sitting in the audience, watching her friend, that Chloe had not changed the pronouns in the song. She had left it feminine. Stacie smiled to herself, 'Man, Red has got it bad.'

**Oh you know, you know, you know**  
**I'd never ask you to change**  
**If perfect's what you're searching for**  
**Then just stay the same**  
**So don't even bother asking if you look okay  
** **You know I'll say,**

Chloe took a minute to look out into the audience. They were still silent as the redhead sang, but she the outlines of some arms swaying over heads, and took that as a good sign. And continued into the second chorus.

**When I see your face**  
**There's not a thing that I would change**  
**'Cause you're amazing  
** **Just the way you are**

**And when you smile**  
**The whole world stops and stares for a while**  
**'Cause, girl, you're amazing  
** **Just the way you are**

Bumper stood backstage, dumbfounded at Chloe's performance. He knew he was in deep shit. He had underestimated the redhead, and now he was going to pay for it.

**The way you are**  
**The way you are**  
**Girl, you're amazing  
** **Just the way you are**

**When I see your face**  
**There's not a thing that I would change**  
**'Cause you're amazing  
** **Just the way you are**

**And when you smile**  
**The whole world stops and stares for a while**  
**'Cause, girl, you're amazing**  
**Just the way you are  
** **Yeah**

As Chloe played the final note of her arrangement, the crowd burst out into applause. Chloe stood from the piano bench and bowed. She noted Beca and Aubrey both standing, applauding the redhead. Beca shot Chloe a small, reassuring smile. As the lights of the stage brightened, Bumper walked back on stage to stand next to Chloe.

"Well coaches, that was one hell of a performance. I'll give you a minute to take this in Beca, in the meantime, Adam, any thoughts?" The Maroon 5 frontman cleared his throat.

"Look, you're both talented singers. I think you both know that. Bumper, you've got talent and charisma. But sometimes you get ahead of yourself and don't perform to your potential. Chloe, I knew from the beginning that you were a little firecracker. What you did tonight was special. You managed to captivate an audience without even trying. If the decision were mine I'd go with Chloe." Chloe's fans in the crowd cheered.

"Thank you, Adam," Carson commented. "Aubrey?"

"I may be a little biased here since Chloe used to be on my team and I've only seen Bumper's abilities on stage, but I'll be the first to admit Chloe has come a long way. It's apparent she's put a lot of work into this. Bumper, you're also a talented voice. You had a good night tonight."

'Song choice was a little questionable,' she thought to herself, though.

"You pumped up the audience, and that is a valuable skill in our industry. But it's not enough to be talented. I can't say what Beca's taught you, but I haven't seen your performances really grow. I've seen more of the same."

Chloe almost felt bad for Bumper. It really wasn't the guy's night. But it wasn't enough to really make her feel bad. Bumper was an egotistical jerk that deserved what was coming to him.

"Alright, and Blake?"

"I agree with Adam on his comment about Chloe. You are a little firecracker." The audience laughed, along with the redhead herself. "You have a passion and emotion about you that you don't see every day. Bumper, I can see passion in you, and you have talent. You truly seem comfortable on stage, and there's something to be said for that."

"Beca, the final decision is yours." Beca had made up her mind ages ago.

"Look, I've worked with you both extensively. I know what you're both capable of. Chloe, I'm proud of your arrangement. It was everything I hoped it would be." Chloe felt a fluttering feeling in her stomach and a warmth in her chest. "Bumper, I have to agree with my fellow coaches. You're talented, but I haven't seen you truly grow. For you to progress in our world, you need to grow as a singer, a performer and an individual." Bumper cast his eyes down, he knew what was coming. He knew on some level he deserved it for not taking Beca's coaching advice as seriously as he should have and underestimating Chloe.

"The winner of this round is Chloe Beale." The redhead squealed as the audience hooted and hollered. Chloe turned to Bumper and stuck her hand out to shake. The male singer took it and shook it firmly.

"I guess you showed me up, didn't you Beale?" Chloe shrugged.

"I suppose so."

Bumper nodded his head in defeat. "Look, I underestimated you, and I got what was coming to me. Good luck in Live Playoffs." Chloe smiled and nodded. The two didn't linger longer than that and both walked off stage. As Chloe got backstage, a tall brunette pulled her into a hug.

"I told you that you would do great!" Stacie gushed. "That was a great arrangement! Did you notice Beca nearly drooling over your outfit when you walked out?" Chloe was thrown a little bit at the sudden change of topic.

"What? No. Seriously?" Chloe looked incredulously at her friend, who nodded vigorously.

"Oh, totes. I think the little DJ had to pick her jaw up off the floor. She was just staring at you as you walked on." Chloe blushed a little bit.

"I mean, I'm on her team."

"In more ways than one." Stacie interrupted and Chloe glared at the brunette.

"Not what I meant. But I mean, it's her job to watch me." Stacie just rolled her eyes.

"Not with the look she had on her face, no it's not. Listen to me, she's got the hots for you." Chloe raised an eyebrow. She didn't want to get ahead of herself and be hopeful for something that wasn't there. But was it possible? Did Beca really return her feelings? There was only one way to find out. And Chloe was determined to find out, now more than ever.

* * *

Chloe didn't really pay much attention to the rest of the Knockouts. She watched a few of the people she was friendly with, perform, but nothing more than that. It had been a somewhat stressful couple of days, and all Chloe wanted to do was relax.

What Stacie had told her was still eating away at her. Did Beca see her as more than just a friend, or was she just proud to see her up on stage, doing what she did best? Chloe wanted to be hopeful, but she didn't want to be let down at the end of the day.

The day was almost over, Knockouts finally done. Chloe and Stacie would be moving on to live Playoffs, along with some of their fellow artists. Jesse, Amy, Lilly, Jessica, Cynthia Rose, Benji, and Donald had all managed to move on as well. They weren't the only ones who did, but they were the ones that Chloe knew. The rest of the contestants, the redhead didn't know very well, if at all.

Beca went in search of Chloe when the day was over. Surprising herself and the redhead, Beca was the one to wrap her arms around the singer. "You did an amazing job Chlo," Beca whispered to her as Chloe brought her arms up around Beca's neck. "I trusted you to do your thing, and you didn't let me down. I'm really proud of you." Chloe felt tears coming to her eyes. Beca's words of praise meant more to her than she realized they would. She had impressed Beca Mitchell, and more and more Chloe was coming to terms with the fact that was what she really wanted.

Chloe pulled back and smiled at Beca. "Thank you, Beca. That means so much coming from you."

"You deserve it. You certainly proved to everyone that you belong here. The real question is, do you believe it yourself now?" Chloe nodded her head.

"Yeah, I do." She wasn't lying.

"Good. Listen, I know it's a little late, but do you mind coming to my studio for a little bit tonight. There's something I want to show, you know. I think you'll like it." Chloe cocked her head to the side in confusion.

"Uhm, sure. What's this about?" Beca had a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"It's a surprise." Chloe rolled her eyes playfully.

"Of course it is. Well, lead the way Mitchell." Beca offered Chloe her arm.

"After you m'lady." Chloe giggled at Beca's antics but found the DJ's behavior endearing. She was insanely curious about what this was about, but she trusted in Beca. If the brunette believed she'd like it, she'd believe her. Beca trusted her, it was only fitting that she returned the sentiment. The pair walked out to Beca's car, arms linked. What they didn't notice as they left together was a certain tall brunette singer, smiling widely at the two as they got in Beca's Lexus and took off.

"Take care of yourself Chloe," Stacie mumbled to herself. She just wanted her friend to be happy. And if Beca did that for her, well, who was she to judge?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not a fan of Blurred Lines, can you tell? The setup of Chloe's performance is somewhat similar to the beginning of Christina Grimmie's performance of Hold On, We're Going Home, with some obvious key difference. Color of the piano, the outfit, the song, ect. But the atmosphere is meant to be similar to the piano portion of that performance. Check out Boyce Avenue's cover of the song for the atmosphere it's based off of too!
> 
> So what do you reckon Beca wants to show Chloe? I don't think it's that hard to figure out frankly, but maybe that's because I'm the author and know what's coming next. I don't know. Whatever, this opens up doors to more alone time if you catch my drift.


	12. It's More Than Nothing

When they arrived at Beca's recording studio, it was late in the evening, so the building was dark and locked up. The DJ took her keys out and let the two of them into the building. Heading up to Beca's office, Chloe fidgeted in the elevator.

"Relax Chlo," Beca said, trying to comfort the redhead. She noticed that Chloe seemed nervous, and that was the last thing she wanted. "I told you that you'd probably like this, so stop worrying." She said.

"I know, I just.. I guess I'm still processing how Knockouts went, and then on top of this, my nerves are just acting up." Beca placed a hand on Chloe's shoulder.

"You did great at Knockouts. I was telling you the truth, I'm extremely proud of what you put together. It was a great piece." Beca smiled, reassuringly and Chloe nodded slightly at Beca's words.

"Thanks." Before Beca had a chance to respond, the doors slid open and the pair headed out of the elevator, towards Beca's office. The brunette opened the door and ushered Chloe inside. She shut the door behind them and turned to see Chloe, once again, staring out the window overlooking Los Angeles. Beca walked up to take in the view, standing beside the singer.

"The city looks so different at night," Chloe remarked. "I've never seen LA like this, in the darkness." Beca understood what Chloe was saying. When she had first seen a night skyline of the city of angels, she had been awestruck. In the dark of the night, it looked completely different. There was more of a beauty and peacefulness, like everything bad happening was asleep.

"Yeah, it's a really beautiful sight." Beca had wanted to add, 'Not as beautiful as you, of course.' but she bit her tongue and refrained from saying that. Shaking her head of that thought, she glanced over at Chloe's face, smiling at her friend's mesmerized expression. The redhead's bright blue eyes captivated Beca. The wonder and amazement that those pools of blue held warmed Beca's heart. She loved this view of the city at night, but until now she had never really had someone to share it with.

However, remembering that she had brought Chloe to her office for a reason, she placed a hand on Chloe's arm, which was folded across her chest. Chloe brought her attention to Beca, who gestured for her to sit in one of the chairs near her desk, so she could see Beca's computer screen.

As Chloe sat down, Beca pressed the power button on her computer and they waited for the machine to boot up. "Look, I know you've been wondering why I brought you here, especially late at night." Chloe looked at Beca curiously.

"So you could get me all to yourself?" Chloe stated suggestively, wiggling her eyebrows. Beca was caught between choking and laughing. A blush crept up her face as the redhead laughed at her expression. Turning to her computer, trying to hide her reaction, she plugged in a USB drive that she had put on her keychain. Opening the drive up, she immediately found what she was looking for. It was the only file on the drive. Clicking on it, the track she had been working on with Chloe opened up.

"I finally finished your track actually. Although being here, alone with you is just a bonus." Chloe's eyes lit up. "But there was.. something missing. I couldn't really put my finger on it until the other night."

"What did you do?" Chloe was curious what the producer had added. She was also over the moon that Beca might have possibly just flirted back with her. She didn't want to get her hopes up, but she couldn't hide her excitement. She just hoped that Beca associated it with excitement over the finished song, not her feelings towards the brunette.

"I just.." Beca faltered. "Here, I think you should just listen to it." Chloe nodded as Beca hit play. As the music filled her ears, Chloe's smile grew wider and wider. In addition to her work on the piano, it sounded as though Beca had added a guitar component to the song. She really liked how it sounded and thought that whoever had done the guitar part was very talented.

It wasn't until the chorus where Chloe picked up on Beca's alto voice accompanying hers. Actually listening to a recording of hers and Beca's voice together was different than listening to them sing together. For the first time, Chloe truly heard how well their voices melded together. It was that kind of harmony you didn't just get with anyone. Sure, artists could harmonize all the time, especially with enough practice. But Chloe knew that sometimes there were those people that one just connected with. The redhead felt like she was being a little sappy, but looking now at Beca, she knew there was a connection that she had with Beca that was more than just your average friend.

Even if they amounted to nothing more than friends, Chloe knew that Beca was someone she always wanted in her life. And even if it broke her heart to just remain friends, if that's what she could get, that would be what she would take.

She turned her focus back to the track. Beca had left the rap sections to Chloe's solo voice but joined in on the chorus' and the bridge. Beca had done a brilliant job at editing and putting this whole piece together.

When the track finished, Chloe turned to Beca, who had a sheepish look on her face. "So, what do you think? I hope you don't mind that I added some stuff to the song." Beca's voice faded out towards the end. Without hesitation, Chloe launched herself out of her chair, into Beca's arms, burying her face in Beca's hair. The shocked DJ silently wrapped her arms around her friend.

"It was great. No, it was more than great, it was beautiful. I loved it." She whispered in Beca's ear, arms still tightly wrapped around the tiny girl. "I can't thank you enough for this. It means more to me than anything." Beca's heart fluttered at Chloe's words.

"It.. It was nothing." Beca stammered, not exactly sure how to respond. Chloe pulled her face back to look at Beca, whose face was mere inches away from hers. Both females took a deep breath in as they looked into each other's eyes.

"It was more than nothing and you know it." Beca slowly nodded, not taking her eyes away from Chloe. She should have been uncomfortable, someone's face this close to hers. And yet, Beca wasn't. She couldn't be uncomfortable around Chloe. Something about her just put Beca at ease. The chemistry and sparks between the two was off the charts, but Beca knew nothing could happen between them. Not now. Beca wasn't going to be responsible for possibly wrecking Chloe's career. She cared too much about her friend. She pulled her face back from Chloe's and noticed the redhead's eyes drop slightly before looking back up at Beca, grinning.

"I.. just wanted you to have a killer demo track. I believe in you Chloe, really. Once you're done on the show, every producer in LA will just want to eat you up." Chloe's ears perked up.

"Yourself included?" Chloe raised an eyebrow.

"You crazy? I'd kill to record with you m'lady." Chloe's heart clenched in happiness at Beca's admission. She'd love nothing more than to do an album with Beca. That was something that was on the top of Chloe's bucket list, although she'd never imagine that would even be a possibility at any point in the future. But now, her hopes and dreams were just within reach. And she'd be damned if she let it slip through her fingers.

"I'll hold you to that, Mitchell." Chloe teased and Beca just rolled her eyes.

"I'm sure you will Beale. You do have a habit of getting what you want, don't you?" Chloe, once again, took her opening to flirt with the DJ, running her hand gently down the producer's arm. Beca's skin broke out in goosebumps at the soft contact. She leaned in and whispered in Beca's ear.

"I've have a knack for getting my way, yes." Beca shivered at Chloe's voice. As Chloe pulled her face back, Beca let out a deep breath.

"You are such a tease, you know that?" Chloe giggled.

"One of my many talents." The DJ just huffed.

"I'm sure." Beca reached over, with difficulty as Chloe was still sitting, basically on her lap, and pulled the little, black USB out of the computer. Unhooking it from her keychain, she handed it to Chloe. "This is yours now." Chloe felt her eyes water as Beca held the USB drive out to her. She gingerly took it, as though if she touched it, it would turn to dust. She turned it over in her fingers.

"Thank you, Beca." A tear ran down Chloe's cheek. She sniffed and wiped it from her face. Beca waited for Chloe to continue, not exactly knowing how to deal with an emotional Chloe Beale. "This means a lot to me, you know?"

"What do you mean?" Chloe took a breath.

"To have something that represents our friendship. Look, this was the first time I've really felt like I could be something great in this industry." Beca was about to protest before Chloe shut her down. "There's a lot of small artists running around LA, I'm sure you know that." Beca nodded. She had once been one of those small artists. She knew. "Not all of us make it, in fact, most don't. Music has always been my passion, but being here, recording with a producer I've only dreamt of working with, it feels like it's not real. I mean, I know it is. Of course, I do. But when I auditioned for _The Voice,_ I saw it as an opportunity, to take my career to the next level. I'd never could have imagined that I'd be in this position, with you." Chloe internally winced at her word choice, but since she was being an open book to Beca currently, she didn't dwell on it.

"Look, you've been really great to me. And to have your support and confidence means the world to me. I know it's a long time down the road, but I hope once this is all over, we can stay in contact. You know, be friends?" Chloe looked at Beca hopefully.

As Chloe was spilling her guts, Beca was trying to process what all of this meant. Looking at Chloe's electric blue eyes showed her that the redhead was being completely sincere. Beca felt her eyes soften and the corners of her mouth curl into a small, goofy smile as she listened to Chloe. Knowing that this friendship meant as much to Chloe as it did to her, reassured Beca that opening up to the redhead wasn't the wrong choice. Although it did hurt a little bit for Chloe to refer to them as friends, but Beca would take what she could get.

"Of course we will Chlo! I told you, I'd kill to record with you. Even if I have to take on General Posen herself." Chloe laughed.

"Even though she's not a producer." Beca just shrugged.

"Hey, it's the thought that counts, isn't it?" Chloe smiled, feeling confident about telling Beca the things that she did. "And just so you know, your friendship is important to me too," Beca said softly and Chloe's heart jumped, doing a little dance. The two sat in silence for a minute or two, simply staring at the other.

Suddenly, Beca hopped up, offering Chloe her hand, pulling the redhead to her feet. "Look, it's getting late, you probably want to get home and sleep. It's been a long couple of days, and the hard work has only just begun. Let me drive you home." Chloe nodded. Beca shut off her computer and locked up her office before heading down to her car. Chloe directed the DJ to her apartment, which was only a few miles away. The soft music playing the car was the only noise for the entire trip. The silence wasn't comfortable, nor was it uncomfortable. It was simply that, silence. Beca parked her Lexus outside Chloe's building.

"Thanks for the ride Beca." The DJ nodded.

"Well it's not like I would have let you take a cab, or heaven forbid walk alone, late at night." Chloe smiled at Beca. She held up the USB drive.

"Thanks again, for this." Beca nodded.

"Hey, like I said, it's no problem. I wanted to. Thank you, for letting me record you." Chloe reached for the handle on the door, to open it. However, before she got out of the car, she quickly leaned over and purposely kissed Beca on her right cheek. although her lips were very close to the corner of Beca's lips. The DJ blushed as Chloe hurried out of the car, shutting the door behind her. Sitting in her seat, she stared at Chloe walk into her building, but not before turning back to wave at the brunette.

Blinking a few times, she wondered to herself before starting her car. This.. thing with Chloe was journeying into dangerous waters. The redhead's friendly persona and total disregard for personal boundaries was going to be the death of Beca. Shaking her head, she resolved to keep it was professional as possible for now.

At least that's what she told herself. Deep down she knew that her relationship with Chloe had gone far past simply professional and very close to deeply personal. Beca had always been dense when it came to feelings. But she was starting to realize that perhaps Chloe felt that same way about her, as she did about the redhead.

* * *

After a couple days break, everyone gathered on set. The coaches called team meetings with their remaining members. Beca sat in a studio with what was left of her contestants.

"Congratulations everyone for making it past Knockouts." Chloe looked around the room and it seemed much emptier than the last time they had all met. Of course, that was to be expected as they had essentially gotten rid of half the team. "Next up, is going to be Live Playoffs. And for the rest of the show, everything you perform is going to be live, so keep that in mind." A few of the artists looked a little uncomfortable about performing live, in front of America.

"Only three of you are going to be moving on, so work hard."

Someone spoke up, "How exactly is that determined then?" Chloe rolled her eyes, someone obviously hadn't done their research.

"You will be performing a song, live. Then the viewers will pick their two favorites from each team, and I will pick an additional artist. The rest of you will be going home. You will not be battling anyone this time, and the rest of the show is basically a free for all. I encourage all of you to work hard in the next month or so. We have a little time until Playoffs. Everything you've filmed so far takes a while to be edited and premiered. The next time you will be on that stage, it'll be in front of America." Chloe felt a surge of nervous confidence. She knew that from here on out, she'd need to work her ass off to progress forward. The viewers would be determining the fate of the rest of the show. The coaches could only step in so much.

She felt good about her abilities, but she still worried about having a bum performance. Every performance was always different. Sometimes you did great, sometimes you had a bad day. She just hoped she didn't have a bad day in front of America.

"I'm proud of all of you for making it this far. Please, none of you hesitate to come find me if you need help. I'm your coach after all. For the rest of the show, I'll mostly leave you to your own devices. But I'll be here every day if you need assistance in whatever." She saw nodding heads around the room.

"Good, you all are free to go about whatever it is you've been doing. Again, congratulations." As everyone else filed out, Chloe approached Beca. The brunette smiled as she noticed Chloe walking over to her.

"What's up Chlo?"

"Do you have a minute?" Beca nodded, waiting for everyone to exit the studio so that she and Chloe were the only ones left.

"Shoot," Beca said.

"Look I was wondering if you wanted to go out to lunch. I still think I owe you for the last time." Chloe asked nervously. But Beca nodded eagerly.

"Sure, I'm starving. You have a place in mind?" The redhead nodded.

"Yeah, there's this small, family owned cafe not too far from here. They have great sandwiches and stuff."

"Great, let me grab my jacket." As Chloe waited, she did a little victory dance. She had been rehearsing in front of her bathroom mirror about how she wanted to ask Beca out to lunch. Ever since she had resolved to let loose her feelings a little bit, she had wanted to ask Beca out. Although she knew it was just as friends, she still felt elated. She was fishing for Beca's feelings towards her. She suspected that Beca might see her as more than a friend, but she didn't want to read too much into it.

The DJ wasn't the type of person to open up to just anyone. But Chloe pegged her for the type of person to be very friendly and personable to those that she did. She didn't want to misread the signs and break what the two had. Chloe cared too much about her current relationship with Beca. As much as she wanted something more, she'd understand if Beca didn't feel the same. It would break her heart, but she would understand.

After Beca finished packing everything up, she turned to Chloe. "You ready?" The redhead nodded. "Well then, after you," Beca said, gesturing out the studio door. Chloe laughed but left the studio, Beca close on her heels. "So, are you going to let me help you for Playoffs?" Chloe laughed.

"Of course. I wanted to surprise you that one time. From here on out, you'll know what's coming."

"Good. Don't get me wrong, I liked the surprise. But I just want to help you move on from here." Chloe couldn't help what came out of her mouth next.

"Do you pay this much attention the rest of the contestants?" Chloe's hand flew to her mouth. She cursed herself for her word vomit. "Oh my God, that was.. No, don't feel the need to answer that. Sometimes I talk before I think." Beca stayed silent, but Chloe couldn't detect any anger or defensiveness in Beca, so she took that as a good sign.

The two left the studio in silence. But Beca's mind was working a million miles a minute. Chloe's question had really gotten to her. Was Chloe really monopolizing her time? She knew the answer was yes, as much as she wanted to deny it. In only a matter of a month or so, Chloe Beale had shattered Beca's emotional walls. Chloe was the closest friend that Beca had had in a long time. Did that scare Beca? Yes, it did. Was Beca going to run like she usually did when things got emotional? Not this time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is where a lot of feels start in the story. Have fun! :)


	13. You Were My First And Only Friend

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song(s) Used: City of Angels - 30 Seconds to Mars

Training for Playoffs was in full swing and as such Chloe didn't have a lot of time to spare. But even so, she and Beca managed to see each other for at least a few minutes every day. While Beca wasn't really formally coaching her team anymore, in terms of making them have a session with her once a week, people were constantly demanding her attention. Beca didn't mind, that was her job for now. She had put her producing and performing jobs in hold until the show was over. She wanted to give her all to these young artists.

Looking over her team she had a lot of strong artists, however she still was of the opinion that Chloe had the strongest skill set and had the greatest potential to win it all. At the beginning, her interest in winning was mostly a desire to beat out Aubrey. But ever since Chloe had barged into her life, she became more and more invested in winning because she really wanted her friend to succeed. Not to say that she didn't believe that Chloe couldn't get record deals easily after she was off the show, whether she won or not. But for some unexplainable reason, she really just wanted the redhead to win.

She had resigned herself to the fact that she did indeed like Chloe, in more than a friendly way. And Chloe had made it increasingly difficult to control herself. The redhead seemed insistent on flirting with her whenever she had the chance, sticking sexual innuendos wherever she could put them. And what was worse was that Chloe seemed to not even realize she was doing it, at least in Beca's opinion that was the case. The redhead just threw them around like she didn't think twice about it. Like it was normal. And as Beca thought about it, maybe that was just the way Chloe was. The redhead didn't have any concept of personal space and had little grasp on social cues. But that was all part of why Beca really liked Chloe.

The redhead wasn't insecure about what other people thought of her. Sure, the singer wanted to prove herself to everyone, but that was different. That was job advancement. But as a person, Chloe seemed to not care. Beca even found Chloe's word vomit endearing. It was cute to see Chloe try to recover. She would always apologize to Beca after she asked an either inappropriate or very personal.

Beca had a goofy smile on her face that she was unaware of when Aubrey walked over to her. Sitting down next to the DJ, she smirked.

"You seem deep in thought." Aubrey's voice shocked Beca's wandering mind and she put a scowl on her face.

"What are you talking about Posen?" Aubrey raised an eyebrow.

"Did that happy smile on your face have anything to do with a certain redhead?" Beca's face shot up to look at Aubrey, who was giving her a knowing smirk. Beca just sighed.

"Am I that obvious?" The blonde shook her head.

"Only to me. As much as you hate it Beca, I know you."

"I know," Beca said quietly.

"Look Beca, I know things ended on an ugly note between us back in college.." Aubrey started before Beca cut her off.

"Aubrey, stop. We both know we want to forget college. What are you doing?" Aubrey looked down at her palms.

"Swallowing my pride. I saw you looking at Chloe during Knockouts. I haven't seen that look on your face in a long time Beca. Despite what happened between us, I don't want to see you miserable." Beca was silent for a few minutes before speaking.

"I haven't felt this way about anyone, ever. It both excites me and scares me. I don't know what to do. She's a contestant, I'm her coach. Nothing can happen between us now, if ever. I don't even know if she's interested in me." Aubrey laughed and Beca shot her a dirty look.

"Beca, it's obvious that Chloe is infatuated with you. I probably shouldn't tell you this, but she asked me about what happened between us."

"And what did you tell her?" Beca asked hesitantly. It wasn't that she didn't want Chloe to know, but it was a touchy subject for both Aubrey and Beca.

"That we are both too stubborn to talk about it." Beca nodded.

"Well, you were right about that." Aubrey sighed.

"But don't you think we should?" Beca shook her head.

"No." The brunette said flatly.

"Beca, it's been years. Are you ever going to get over it?" Aubrey almost yelled. Beca's nostrils flared.

"Oh no, you don't get to say that to me, Aubrey. You were the fucking reason I ran off to LA. I would have stayed at Barden if it hadn't been for you." Aubrey scoffed.

"That's hardly fair Beca. It wasn't my fault you decided to leave. That was all you. Besides, you made it here just fine Beca. Look at where you are now, you would never have been here if you hadn't left."

"You don't know that. I could have been."

"You've even said yourself that it was a lot of luck that got you to where you are now! Who's to say you would have been DJ'ing at that club when Pharrell was there if you hadn't left!" Aubrey couldn't believe Beca was blaming her for the DJ's departure from Barden University.

* * *

" _What the fuck was that Beca? Didn't I tell you to stick to the set list?" Alice all but yelled at Beca after their performance. It was the ICCA semi-finals and if the Bellas didn't make top two, they were finished for the season._

" _Really Alice? I knew you were oblivious, but I didn't know it was that bad. The entire audience was falling asleep! I did what I had to." Alice scoffed._

" _Why don't you ask the rest of the team what they thought of your little stunt then?" Beca's eyes immediately shot to Aubrey. The junior was her closest friend on the a capella team, she thought she could count on her._

_But instead, Aubrey hesitated. Then spoke. "Alice is right Beca." Beca's heart dropped as well as her mouth. "We all agreed to stick to the set list, you shouldn't have added anything in." Alice gave Beca a smug look._

" _See, even your best friend agrees with me. I knew you weren't Bellas material." Aubrey was about to protest because that wasn't what she said, but Beca stopped her._

" _Don't Aubrey. You've made yourself perfectly clear. If this is what I get for trying.." Beca just shook her head, feeling sadness, betrayal, and anger. She quickly turned and stormed off, trying not to punch the nearest brick wall. She hoped more than anything that Aubrey would run after her, but the blonde was standing next to the Bellas, shocked at what just happened._

_Beca didn't return to the Bellas after that. In fact, she didn't return to Barden. She had just enough money saved up from working various clubs and bars around Atlanta to buy herself a plane ticket to LA. She had a family friend living in the city that she could stay with until she got herself situated. So in true Mitchell fashion, she ran away from Barden, and away from her problems._

* * *

"You were my best friend Aubrey! My only friend. You knew that I didn't want to go to Barden, and you knew the only reason I stayed and got involved with the Bellas was because of you!" Beca was shouting at Aubrey. Luckily they were alone with no one around to hear them. Although, Beca wouldn't have cared if there were people eavesdropping.

"Beca.." Aubrey started

"Don't interrupt me Aubrey." Beca spat and the blonde quieted. "Do you know how much the night of semi-finals hurt? I counted on you for support and you went and stabbed me in the back. You didn't even stop Alice from ripping into me. You always knew that she hated me, the only reason I was in the Bellas was because of you. She was looking for any reason to get rid of me, and you gave it to her."

"It was so not like that!" Aubrey insisted.

"But it was Aubrey! To have my best and only friend turn her back on me? You knew about my abandonment issues, and you still let me down. You know when I walked away from the Bellas and Barden that night, all I wanted was for you to follow me, to tell me not to go! But no, you stayed with them. You know how much that hurt?" Tears were falling down Beca's cheeks. She was never this emotional, but years of repressing what she wanted to say to Aubrey took their toll. And when Aubrey confronted Beca, the pressure that had been building finally popped.

Aubrey had the decency to feel bad about doing that to Beca, but in true Posen fashion, she didn't back down. "And do you know what your departure did to me Beca? Look, I made a mistake that night. And I'm sorry. But you were the one to make the choice to run. You could have stayed and tried to fix things. But instead you left. You abandoned what we had. It hurt, to not have you around." Beca scoffed.

"You know I don't do feelings, I don't do emotions. You knew that better than anyone. Did you honestly think that'd I'd try to fix things?" Aubrey knew Beca was right in that respect.

"Okay, I'll give you that one. But you didn't even stick around long enough for us to try to fix it, for me to approach you. You left that night! And when we saw each other again in LA I thought that it was better to leave it alone. You certainly didn't go out of your way to talk to me about it. Instead, you seemed to want to push my buttons." Beca smirked.

"You make it so easy Aubrey." The blonde snorted.

"Only because you know what ones to press." Beca laughed, then sighed.

"Look, maybe we both handled the situation poorly. And maybe we should have talked about it earlier. But I can't just forget what happened, and how hurt I was. You've got to understand, I let you in. You know me, as much as I hate that you do. My abandonment problems, commitment issues, everything. And then we didn't see each other for two or three years. That's a long time to let resentment stew Aubrey." Aubrey ran a hand through her hair.

"You're not the only one who was hurt Beca. I spent the rest of my time at Barden, thinking about what would have been if that night had gone differently. But I learned to live with it. With both of our decisions. It's in the past. And the scars are always going to be there." Aubrey looked over at Beca and grabbed one of the brunette's hands.

"And I know that we'll probably never have a friendship like we did. But can you blame me for wanting to start over?" Beca looked up, into Aubrey's eyes. Tears were glistening in those pools of green.

"I'll think about it." Aubrey nodded. Considering the situation, the blonde was lucky to get that much out of her once, best friend. "Answer me one question, though." Aubrey nodded hesitantly. "What brought this up? I mean, we've ignored this for so long, why now?" The blonde sighed.

"Chloe," Aubrey said simply. "When she asked me about what happened between us, it got me thinking. I really do miss what we had. I told her that I disliked you, and as soon as those words left my mouth, they felt wrong. I may have felt hurt back then, but I've never hated you." Aubrey admitted. Beca offered Aubrey a small smile.

"I guess even when she doesn't know she's doing it, Chloe is looking out for me." Aubrey laughed.

"She's something special Beca. I know you're worried about how a relationship between the two of you would affect her career. But shouldn't that be something that she has a say in? She likes you Beca, really. And you'd be crazy to let someone like her go." Beca nodded.

"I know. And it's not just about her career. I'm afraid of her. You know me, you said it yourself. I'm insecure. What if I let her in, and she leaves me? Everyone does eventually." Aubrey grabbed Beca by the shoulders.

"There's that risk in any relationship Beca. But you have to consider this, is the risk worth it? Chloe is a great girl, she's sweet, funny, an aca-awesome singer, not to mention beautiful. And you like her, that in and of itself is a feat." The two laughed, knowing that to be true.

"I don't know Aubrey." The blonde let out a frustrated huff.

Squeezing Beca's shoulder, she stood up. "Look Beca, it's ultimately up to you. Everything is, between us. I want to start over, we can both never forget what happened, but if you're willing to move on, so am I. And in regards to Chloe, don't spend all your time dwelling on what could possibly go wrong. And think about what you'll have if things go right." And with that parting thought, Aubrey left Beca to her thoughts.

The brunette had a lot to think about. Aubrey had essentially dropped a bombshell in her lap, and the DJ didn't know what to do about it. She let out a frustrated moan before slumping back in her chair.

* * *

Beca had managed to pull together enough time in her schedule to drag Chloe to her studio. The redhead had yet to pick a song for Playoffs, but they were still a few weeks away. She had time. The two had agreed to record another track together, mostly for fun. The two had grown accustomed to being together, even with their time being taken up mostly by the show. They still made time to spend with each other.

The two were sitting in Beca's office, going through her extensive list of songs. Scrolling through, Chloe glanced out the window then stopped Beca, pointing at a specific song.

"What about that one?" Beca smiled.

"Are you sure? That's not exactly your style." Chloe shrugged.

"I want to give it a go. If it doesn't work out, we can try another one?" Beca nodded. She wanted to see how Chloe handled the 30 Seconds to Mars song anyways. Chloe didn't have the ideal voice for the alternative rock sound, but if anyone could pull this off, it would be the redhead.

She clicked on the song, and it opened up. Hitting play, she sat back and listened to Chloe try her hand at the song.

**There was truth  
** **There was consequence  
** **Against you, a weak defense  
** **Then there's me, I'm seventeen  
** **Looking for a fight**

**All my life I was never there  
** **Just a ghost running scared  
** **Here our dreams aren't made–  
** **They're won.**

Chloe wasn't used to the genre or the sound of the song, but she tried her best. Remembering Jason's performance of _Kings and Queens,_ she tried her best to emulate that sound. From she knew of the alternative rock band, this was one of their calmer tracks.

**Lost in the city of angels  
** **Down in the comfort of strangers  
** **I found myself in the fire burned hills  
** **In the land of a billion lights**

She really liked the sound of this song. And from the look on Beca's face, the DJ also approved. Chloe met Beca's eyes and the brunette smiled widely at Chloe, encouraging her to continue.

**Bought my fate straight from hell  
** **Second sight has paid off well  
** **For a mother, a brother and me**

**The silver of a lake at night  
** **The hills of Hollywood on fire  
** **A boulevard of hope and dreams  
** **Streets made of desire**

Beca had to admit, she wasn't sure if Chloe could do it. But once again, the redhead had proved her wrong. It wasn't perfect by any means. But Beca couldn't help but be captivated by Chloe's melodious voice. Her soft, feminine sound didn't exactly go with the track, but Beca knew with a little tweaking on the music, and translating it to piano, perhaps adding in a little guitar and a beat, she knew that they could make it work.

**Lost in the city of angels  
** **Down in the comfort of strangers  
** **I found myself in the fire burned hills  
** **In the land of a billion lights  
** **I found myself in the fire burned hills  
** **In the land of a billion lights  
** **(Of a billion lights, of a billion lights, of a billion lights...)**

Chloe stopped there, as Beca grinned at her friend. "That was great Chlo!" Chloe beamed at Beca.

"Thanks! I wasn't sure if I was cut out for singing something by them." Chloe shrugged.

"Well, I definitely think you should pursue it."

"You think?" Chloe said sarcastically. Beca snorted.

"I sure do Beale. I will get you in that recording booth." Chloe raised an eyebrow.

"You **sure** this isn't a ploy to get me all alone?" Beca had been becoming more accustomed to Chloe's flirting and had even been flirting back lately. Every since her chat with Aubrey, she had been thinking about the blonde's words. She was right, to a degree. Maybe the risk was worth it. She couldn't stand waiting and perhaps Chloe moving on to find someone else.

Beca wiggled her eyebrows and smirked. "It might be Beale if that's what you want?" Chloe's breath hitched. The redhead leaned into closer, their noses almost touching.

"Perhaps." She whispered. It would be so easy for either woman to lean in and kiss the other. But Beca still wasn't a hundred percent sure what she wanted, and she didn't want to start something she couldn't finish. So she pulled back first. Chloe blinked, and Beca caught the slight look of disappointment before it was masked by a teasing smile.

"Do I make you nervous Beca?" The brunette in question furrowed her brow.

"Whatever do you mean?"

"You always pull back first." She said simply. Beca just shrugged.

"I like my personal space." Chloe wanted to call Beca out on her bullshit but refrained. She knew that Beca liked her personal space when it came to anyone **but** Chloe. She allowed the redhead to invade her personal space on a daily basis, hugging the brunette whenever she saw her. It was something else, and if Chloe was feeling hopeful, she'd think it was because Beca felt something for her but didn't know what to do about it.

But instead, she playfully backhanded Beca on the shoulder. "Whatever Beca." She said at the brunette yelped and rubbed her shoulder.

"Jeez Chlo, abusive are you?" Chloe smiled innocently.

"Only to people I like." Beca's eye glinted happily.

"You like me?" Chloe mentally berated herself for her slip up but went to cover her bases.

"Of course I do! You're like, my best friend!" That warmed Beca's heart. After her conversation with Aubrey, she realized that she hadn't truly had a best friend since the blonde. And now she had found that perhaps something more with Chloe.

"Me too Chlo."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes I'm just a horrible person and go days if not weeks without updating, even though I've technically finished the entire story already. Sorry! I'll try to be better. :)


	14. Stop Being Scared And Face Your Fears

"Playoffs are only a few days away Chlo, you sure you're ready?" Beca asked the redhead for what seemed like the millionth time. Chloe just sighed.

"Yes Beca, I'm sure." This obviously wasn't the first time Chloe had this conversation with Beca. Ever since she had picked her song and she started working with Beca on it, the brunette DJ always was badgering her about it. She often wondered if Beca was as invested with the other members of her team, but deep down she knew that Beca wasn't. Chloe had been paying attention to Beca more and more over the last couple of weeks.

She noticed that the brunette had been spending more and more time with Chloe. And as much as she wanted to feel bad about monopolizing her time, the redhead couldn't find the desire to feel anything but happiness. She had been dropping more and more hints about her feelings around Beca. The DJ often flirted back, but that was the extent of it. Whenever Chloe tried to push things further, Beca pulled back. It frustrated Chloe to no end. She came to the conclusion that Beca most likely felt _something_ for her. But whenever she'd try to find out, her friend would always retreat back into her little safe zone.

For example, a recording session the two had a few days prior.

* * *

_Chloe was sitting next to Beca in the recording studio. They were seated in front of the mixing board, working on a song together. Beca usually didn't mix and produce songs with the artist behind the board with her. But Chloe was different, the redhead did a lot of things that Beca didn't usually let others do. Chloe noted this and often used it to her advantage._

_Chloe had become bolder since their 'almost' kiss in Beca office after Knockouts. She had ramped up her flirt factor tenfold. But her ever dense object of affection never seemed to give her any indication that she understood that the redhead was coming on to her._

" _What do you think about this Chlo?" Beca pressed the playback button and let Chloe listen to the segment that she had just put together. After listening to it in its entirety, Chloe responded._

" _It sounds great Becs. Although might I suggest adding a downbeat, here?" Chloe leaned in closer to Beca, their shoulders touching as she pointed to the screen, showing her where in the track she thought it might sound good. Beca nodded, trying to fend off the tingling of her spine from her contact with Chloe._

_The redhead, seeing and feeling no reaction to their proximity, sat back in her chair, disappointed look on her face. Beca was purposely not looking at Chloe, for fear of seeing her reaction to the DJ's inaction. It killed her to ignore Chloe's advances, but it was better for everyone if she didn't give into her impulses. At least for now._

_But of course, Chloe didn't know that._

* * *

"Beca, please stop worrying about Playoffs. You've heard me yourself, right? I can do this." Beca smiled and nodded. It wasn't that she didn't trust Chloe, not at all. But for some, perhaps irrational, reason, she couldn't bear to see Chloe leave the show. Although, her leaving might clean up some of Beca's internal battles. She would no longer have a reason to stay away from Chloe. She would be able to freely pursue the redhead, as she was no longer her coach. But at the same time, she wanted Chloe to be successful. And perhaps above all, she wanted her friend to be happy. And Chloe seemed invested in winning the show.

Beca was going to be the one to help her get there.

"No, you're right Chlo. I just.. want to see you move on." Chloe's heart warmed at Beca's sincere tone. She placed her hand gently on Beca's upper arm, running her hand up and down the bare skin. The brunette's body broke out in goosebumps from Chloe's touch. Beca's eyes fluttered shut, allowing herself to bask in the feeling, if only for a minute. This didn't escape Chloe's notice, however.

She was fully aware of how Beca reacted to her. She had also resolved to push Beca to her physical limits. It was a dangerous game she was playing, knowing full well that if she did this wrong, she could possibly push Beca away from her.

"I know you do Becs, and I love you for it." Beca felt a slight clenching of her heart at Chloe's use of the word _love._ Coming to terms with the fact that she felt something for Chloe and that the redhead most likely felt at least a little something for her was hard for Beca. And it was scary to entertain the idea of someone loving her. But if it had to be anyone, she was glad it was the perky singer. She had a lot of heartbreak in her life. And it had hurt her, more than she liked to admit.

But ever since Chloe had walked into her life and shattered her barriers, it was like all of that never existed. Or at least the pain never existed. Beca would never forget, but she felt like she could move on, as long as Chloe remained in her life, as a friend or potentially something more.

Beca smiled reassuringly at Chloe. "Love you too Chlo." She replied. "You ready to go again?" Chloe nodded as she got up to go stand behind the microphone. She and Beca were at the DJ's studio, practicing for Playoffs. Since this time Beca was helping Chloe with her performance, they had spent a lot of time together in the studio.

After Chloe picked her track, Beca helped her arrange it and record it. It didn't take all that long, as Chloe did most of it and Beca just fixed it up. After all, the DJ still had other team members besides Chloe to work with. She spent most of the morning and part of the afternoon on the set of _The Voice_ and spent many of her late afternoons and evenings with Chloe at her studio. The redhead spent most of her time working on her song arrangement. It had only taken about a week and a half to get it together. Beca was particularly impressed that Chloe had written parts for more than just piano. Sure that's where she based it, but she had written a rough outline for the drums and guitar as well. The DJ was continually impressed with the redhead's affinity for music.

After the track was completed, it was all about working on Chloe's performance. This was going to be a live show, so all the contestants were feeling the pressure to do well. Especially since only three people from each team would be moving on. The song that Chloe was performing was a little bit of a risk since it had that alternative rock vibe to it, which wasn't exactly Chloe's forte. She didn't sound bad, far from it. But performing it live, that was going to be a challenge. However, it wasn't one that Chloe wasn't up for.

* * *

It was around seven in the evening before Chloe and Beca called it quits for the night. Chloe was feeling fairly confident for Playoffs, and that confidence seemed to radiate over to Beca as well. After the two finished practicing for the night, they relaxed on the couch in Beca's office together, just enjoying spending time with one another.

This had also become a habit over the last few weeks. On nights where Chloe and Beca were in the studio together, they'd often relax in Beca's office together, watching the LA skyline, talking to each other. It had definitely helped the two friends become even closer and gave Chloe ample opportunity to flirt with Beca.

She often slowly scooted closer to Beca over the evening, to where she was nearly in Beca's lap by the end of the night. And surprisingly the brunette never protested. 'I like my personal space my ass Beca.' Chloe often thought when she got in close proximity to Beca.

That particular night they were talking a little bit about their college experiences, something that Beca had never really opened up to other people about before. But since her chat with Aubrey and her discovery that Chloe was the one who instigated it if she knew it or not, she had been more willing to share things with the redhead.

"You were an a capella chick in college?" Chloe asked curiously. She would never have pegged Beca as such. However, the brunette just groaned.

"I guess. I never really fit in, though. Our captain of sorts hated my guts. Ended up kicking me off the team eventually." Beca thought back to that night. While she was still hurt over Aubrey's actions, she had slowly been coming to terms with it. She wasn't immediately going to go back to being friends with the blonde, not at all. But she wasn't just ignoring it anymore. That was progress at least.

"How come? If you don't mind telling me that is." Chloe asked hesitantly. She got the feeling that it was a touchy subject for Beca. She wasn't going to pry an answer out of Beca if she didn't want to give it. But to her surprise, Beca answered her.

"I altered our set list in the middle of a performance." Chloe's eyebrows shot up. She wasn't an a capella person, but she could only imagine how difficult it would be to alter something like that on the fly. "What you have to understand about the Barden Bellas is that they are deeply rooted in tradition. Our setlist was old and boring. It was putting everyone, including the judges to sleep. I might have added in a song here and there to spice it up. Because we were on stage, the rest of the Bellas were forced to deal with it, but as soon as we were off the stage, Alice ripped me a new one." Beca said bitterly. Chloe sensed her friend's emotions and went to wrap an arm around Beca's shoulder.

"Well then, she obviously was a bitch. You did what you had to, to make sure no one died of boredom." Chloe joked. Beca shot Chloe a weak smile.

"Yeah I guess. You know, I've never told anyone about this. I mean, I haven't even talked to Aubrey about this and she was there." Beca said before she realized what she had admitted. Chloe looked at her curiously.

"Aubrey was there?" Beca sighed sadly. She hadn't really meant to say that, but it was out there now. She might as well.

"Yeah, Aubrey and I were on the Bellas together. It's how we met."

"Oh." Chloe didn't really know what to say. She knew Aubrey and Beca had history but she never knew anything about it. And she wasn't going to pry into their relationship.

"I know she talked to you. In fact, she confronted me about it a few weeks ago, saying that you gave her the courage or whatever to do it."

"I.. I mean I asked her about what went on between you two, but she didn't really want to talk about it, so I didn't really push it. Sorry if I started something you weren't ready for." Beca waved Chloe off.

"Don't worry about it Chlo, it's not your fault. In fact, after thinking about it, that conversation was long overdue. See, Aubrey and I used to be best friends. But that night she didn't step up to defend me against Alice and that hurt. At the time, it felt like a massive betrayal, it still does to a degree. But I guess I overreacted a little bit. I'm still mad at her for it, but feels like the knife in my back loosened just a little bit." Beca finished. Chloe squeezed Beca's shoulder.

"But what happened, happened. Nothing much to do about it really. It's why I ignored it for so long. I can't go back in time and change it." Chloe looked at Beca's sympathetically, gathering her in a hug, trying to cheer the DJ up.

"Nope, you can't, but who knows. If she hadn't done that, you might not even be here. And if you hadn't been here we might not have met." Chloe whispered into Beca's ear. And that statement hit Beca, hard. She couldn't, no didn't, want to imagine her life without Chloe in it. The redhead had become a fixture in her life that Beca didn't want to let go of. Aubrey's departure from her life had hurt her, but if Chloe were to depart from it, it would kill her. That thought sobered Beca a little bit.

Holding Chloe a little tighter, she replied, "I can't imagine my life without you. So I guess, I should be thankful for the choices that led me here." This time, Chloe pulled back first.

"You know, I feel the same way. I can't even remember what it was like before you became my friend." Beca's heart clenched. 'There's that word again, _friend_.' Beca thought to herself bitterly. She was thrilled that Chloe was her friend, but her feelings went far beyond just friendship, and she was about ninety percent sure Chloe's did as well. But it still stung a little bit to only be referred to as a friend.

Beca had sat in silence for a minute before Chloe was concerned she might have said something wrong. She scooted closer to Beca, waving a hand in front of her face. "Hey Beca, are you okay? Was it something I said?" Beca snapped out of her thoughts and looked at Chloe's concerned face.

"No, sorry. Lost in thought I guess." Beca shrugged it off. But Chloe knew there was something else going on, and this time, she wasn't going to let Beca get away with it.

"There's something else going on, isn't there Beca?" She inquired. The DJ blinked and curled up in a little defensive ball of nerves.

"No." She said a little sharply. "It's nothing." She hadn't meant to be harsh to Chloe, but being confronted directly wasn't something she was used to, or liked. It was her natural reaction.

"It's obviously not nothing if you're being so defensive about it. So tell me." Chloe insisted.

"Chlo, please. It's nothing." The redhead grabbed hold of Beca's shoulders.

"Becs, whatever it is, you can tell me. You know that right? I'm your friend, best friend even." Beca looked into Chloe's bright, blue eyes. Although that was a mistake. She saw emotion and sincerity swirling there, mixed with concern and laced with love. Before she knew it, she was being subjected to the word vomit that Chloe was so famous for.

"I don't want to lose you okay?" Beca almost shouted. Chloe furrowed her brow.

"What do you mean? You're not going to lose me." Chloe was confused as to what brought that up. "We're going to be best friends forever. Even when we're not on the show anymore. Didn't I tell you I was going to make you keep your promise of recording with me?" Chloe offered. Beca just sniffled a little bit. 'Get it together Mitchell, you will **not** cry right now.' She said to herself, willing her emotions to get a grip.

"It's more than that Chlo. I know you're not going to ditch me after the show. I'm just scared." Beca admitted. It was hard for her to voice that she was scared of something, but there it was.

"Of what?" Chloe asked, she wanted to comfort her crush, but she didn't know how.

"Of myself I guess."

"How come?" Chloe whispered. The soft, vulnerable voice that came out of Chloe's mouth made Beca look down towards her lips, darting back up to look Chloe in the eyes again. That momentary glance didn't escape Chloe, not at all. She now had an idea of what Beca was talking about.

"I don't know," Beca said, in a defeated tone. Chloe subtly leaned in close to Beca, bringing their faces a few inches apart. Becoming enveloped in Chloe's scent, Beca inhaled quickly. She was very quickly losing her resolve to keep herself from closing the gap. She watched the redhead's eyes dart down to Beca's lips before returning her gaze. She wasn't going to push any further. She left it up to Beca to finish the job. Or to give her an out if she wished.

"Stop being scared then and face your fears," Chloe said so quietly, that Beca wouldn't have heard it if their faces weren't so close together. And that statement was the final straw. She couldn't control it anymore. She brought her hand up, behind Chloe's neck, and pulled the redhead's face forward to meet her own.

As their lips collided, both women's nostrils flared and shocks of imaginary electricity shot up and down their bodies. Chloe felt her hands try to pull Beca closer to her, wanting to meld their lips even closer together, if that was possible. There weren't fireworks like it said in the romance novels. It was more like just a content feeling passing between the two of them. A warmth perhaps. Something to signify to both of them that was definitely not a mistake.

Beca, of course, broke off first. Pulling away from Chloe. The redhead felt a little hurt at Beca's immediate retreat from what they had just shared. But at the same time, she understood this wasn't easy for Beca. If her confession a minute ago was any indication.

"I.. I'm sorry Chlo." The redhead looked at Beca with a confused look on her face.

"For what?" She asked.

"I can't." Chloe felt her heart drop.

"Why?" She croaked out. She feared Beca's response. What if Beca had only kissed her in the heat of the moment and she regretted it. What if she thought it was a mistake? Chloe didn't know if her heart could take that.

"I can't do that to you." Chloe was even more confused.

"What do you mean? I kissed you back Beca."

"Think about it, Chloe! I can't do this with you right now." Chloe's ears perked up at the 'right now' part. "Look, I'm your coach, I can't have a relationship with you. If we were to get found out, the media would rip right into you. The career that you've been so desperately wanting would be shot. I can't do that to you!" Beca said, a tear or three dripping down her face.

And Chloe's features softened. Her heart warmed for Beca. The brunette only looking out for it. and to Chloe, that meant the world. She reached up and wiped the tears off Beca's face before pulling her into a hug.

"Beca, I know you're worried. But please, don't I get any say in this? I mean it's my career."

"Chlo, please understand. I couldn't forgive myself if I was the reason that you didn't make it in this business. Not with all the talent and hard work you put into it. I can't let you throw that away, for a shot at something with me." Chloe pulled back to look at Beca.

"You'd want something with me?" Chloe inquired hopefully and Beca nodded. She grabbed both of Chloe's hands, grasping them in hers.

"More than anything. You're my best friend Chlo, but you've become so much more than that." Neither girl needed to elaborate on what that meant.

"Then let me be. Beca, you can't stand to imagine ending a shot at a career. But I can't imagine standing by, knowing that you feel the same way about me. Please, we don't have to tell anyone, we can wait until the show is over. I mean, we spend enough time together in the studio as it is. No one would question us spending time together." Chloe said hopefully. Beca pondered the idea.

It had merit. Chloe was right, they were almost always found together anyways. If they were extremely careful, they might be able to make it through the rest of the show without anyone knowing. Part of Beca despised sneaking around, but another part of her, a bigger part, didn't want to wait.

And it was that part that won out. Plus the fact that Beca seemed to be unable to deny Chloe anything. Beca nodded. "Okay." She said softly. Chloe grinned widely before hugging Beca tightly. Then pulled back and pressing their lips together. As the two kissed, they both knew this was going to be hard. But as they became enveloped in each other, they both knew it was going to be worth it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo. They kissed. 
> 
> So, we're taking the 'let's sneak around until we're not in a professional relationship' route. Overused perhaps, but I think appropriate for this. Hopefully you'll be able to forgive me for an overused plot device.


	15. Playoffs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song(s) Used: Me and My Broken Heart - Rixton  
> Fireproof - Against the Current

Chloe's leg was bouncing up and down nervously. She was watching a playback that Beca had recorded of what was going to be her Playoff performance. As she watched herself sing, she couldn't help but nitpick herself. 'Oh no, that note was off' and 'Crap, I look stupid doing that,' were common thoughts for the duration of the song.

Beca noticed her nervousness and gently wrapped an arm around Chloe's shoulder. Slowly, the bouncing leg calmed and the redhead leaned into the tiny body next to her. It had only been a couple days since Chloe had convinced Beca to give them a shot. But the two had been taking things very slowly. Both of them were cautious of moving too fast and either doing something that they weren't ready for or accidentally getting caught in public.

To the outside world, nothing between them had changed. Maybe they were a little more touchy feely than before, a look here and suggestive glance there, but nothing to really signify anything beyond close friendship. But in the privacy of the studio, the two would share gentle touches and quick kisses in between working on Chloe's song.

Brushing her lips against Chloe's cheek, Beca whispered, "Stop worrying so much Chlo. You look great and I'm sure you'll look even better when you're up on stage." Chloe shrugged. "Look, Chloe, a few days ago you told me to trust in your singing ability. Now I'm telling you to trust in yourself." Chloe turned her head to look at Beca.

"Yeah, you're right. I'm just nervous. Playoffs are tomorrow and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't freaking out about it." Beca squeezed Chloe's shoulder.

"I'd be concerned if you weren't freaked out. It's a big deal to be up there. But think about it! This is your chance to show the world what you're capable of. I know your abilities, but the world out there? They still need proof. They need to see the amazing girl that I do." Chloe's heart melted a little bit.

She smiled widely at Beca in true Beale fashion and turned in her seat to throw her arms tightly around Beca's waist, laying her head on Beca's shoulder. "How do you always know what to say to me? Even if I don't know what I want to hear, you know what to say."

Beca pulled back to look Chloe in the eyes. "Because I understand you Chloe. Or at least I understand how your mind functions. I may not understand the why, but you're my best friend! Even more than that. Some girlfriend I'd be if I didn't know what you needed to hear." Chloe's ears perked up. They hadn't really discussed the labels of their relationship. Considering it was a secret, it wasn't like they could announce to the world that they were girlfriends.

"Is that what this is? What we are?" Chloe asked. Beca could sense the slight vulnerability in the redhead's voice. She quickly grabbed Chloe's hands in hers and intertwined their fingers.

"I mean, I know we never talked about it explicitly or anything.. And if you're not comfortable.." Beca trailed off. Chloe was quick to pick up where Beca left off, though.

"No! I mean, yes. I want this," Chloe gestured between them, their hands still connected, "I want to be your girlfriend." She added shyly. The DJ smiled happily and leaned in to capture Chloe's lips in hers. Even after a few days, the warm feeling associated with kissing the redhead hadn't faded. It still heated Beca's heart and down into her stomach.

Both girls pulled back and Chloe rested her forehead on Beca's. "I still never get tired of that." Beca laughed.

"Neither do I"

* * *

Everyone had gathered at the studio the next day to prepare for Playoffs. As Chloe looked around, she knew that a lot of the people that stood next to her now, wouldn't be there the next day. She just hoped that she would be.

"Alright people, listen up! This is how it's going to go. Three of you from each team will be moving on. Two will be chosen by the voters and one will be chosen by the coach. Simple. Everyone from a team will sing their song, then all five of you will go up on stage to wait for the results. And repeat for each team. Order of teams will be Adam, Aubrey, Beca, then Blake." Adam announced. Chloe could see heads nodding around the room.

This was it. What Chloe had been working on for the past month or so. It all culminated in this performance. It was a little nerve-wracking, that viewers, for the most part, would be deciding their fate from here on out. The coaches had a few choices on who moved on, but most of it came down to the viewers.

"Okay guys, that's it, please meet in your teams for a few minutes. Your coaches have a few things to say, then you're free to do last minute preparation for tonight. Good luck everyone!" Adam finished. Chloe made her way over to Beca, along with her fellow teammates. She didn't know many of them, the only other name she knew was Donald. As they all gathered together, they looked each other over.

"Okay, guys and girls." Beca started as she walked over to where her team was congregated. "Tonight is the night. I'm not going to spend too much time because I'm sure you all want as much time as possible to prepare. Just know that you are all amazing artists and I will be sorry to let two of you go tonight. You've all worked extremely hard to get here, and I'm proud of everyone." Chloe smiled at Beca's words, as did the rest of the team.

"That means a lot Beca. Thanks for the support over the last few months." Donald spoke up. Beca nodded his way.

"Of course, that's what I'm here for." Beca winked, jokingly. Chloe glanced at Donald, then at the rest of her teammates, then back at Beca. As she looked at everyone else, she met their eyes, and then flicked back to Beca. Silently she was trying to get all of them to pounce on the DJ and it seemed to work, because, after a few seconds, everyone moved quickly in Beca's direction, gathering the tiny DJ into a big group hug.

Beca sputtered, startled by the sudden movement and contact with everyone. All five of her team members had their arms tightly wrapped around her very small frame. Beca didn't really like people in her personal space, but she endured it. This meant a lot of her, she started out coaching on this show with the intention of giving back to the young artists that needed help, needed mentoring. To have a sign of appreciation, even if it involved entering her personal bubble, well who was she to refuse?

Although being squished between five other people, it did eventually get hard to breathe, and before long she was gasping out, 'Okay, okay, I get it. Air, I need air!" Chloe giggled at her _girlfriend_. Then she stopped to think about that. _Girlfriend,_ that was going to take some getting used to.

"Thank you," Beca said, straightening out her shirt. "Now, I'm sure you all have things to go do to get ready, so scram!" She said, smiling at the young artists in front of her. Each of them went their separate ways, some going to check with the set crew to make sure everything was in order for their performance, and some beelining for a studio to get in some last minute practice. Eventually, it was only Chloe that remained.

Beca scowled playfully at the redhead. "That group hug was your doing wasn't it?" Chloe looked at the DJ innocently.

"What me? Never. I know how much you hate people in your personal space." Chloe said, almost mockingly. Beca just laughed and shook her head.

"What am I going to do with you Chlo?" The redhead in question just shrugged her shoulders.

"You love me, don't even deny it." Beca hesitated. She did indeed love Chloe, as a friend. She knew she had feelings for Chloe that went beyond that, but she didn't yet know if they were love. She knew they could easily develop into that emotion if it was left to nurture.

But before Chloe noticed her hesitance, Beca replied, "Of course I love you Chlo. Best friends forever right?" She winked at the redhead, who blushed slightly. Checking the wall clock, she noted that she had a few hours to herself before Playoffs were going to begin.

Reluctantly, she decided that she was going to get everything finalized for Playoffs, perhaps go find Stacie and wish her good luck. "Hey Becs, I'm going to run off, I'll see you later?" Beca nodded.

"You can count on it." She gave Chloe the thumbs up before the redhead bounded off. Staring at Chloe as she went elsewhere, Beca felt a slight tap on her shoulder. She turned to see Aubrey standing next to her, eyebrow raised.

"You took a chance, didn't you?" Typical Aubrey, straight to the point. Beca was a little panicked, though. If Aubrey could see right through her, anyone could, so she thought.

"What! No, of course not. I told you, I'm her coach." Beca tried to protest. Aubrey held up a hand to stop Beca.

"Beca, remember? I know you. Something happened, and I know that you're happy about it. I'm not going to ask you to spill. It's not really any of my business, but just know, that I'm glad you decided to go for it." Beca sighed but didn't reply or stop Aubrey from walking off.

The blonde was right, not everyone knew her like Aubrey did. Hopefully, it was just from their close former friendship that she was able to decipher her true feelings toward the perky redheaded singer.

* * *

Chloe was backstage, listening to Carson begin the opener to tonight's show. The butterflies in her stomach were getting unbearable. She was fidgeting with her hands like she had before Blinds and Battles, but this time it was much more noticeable. It wasn't long before Stacie sought out her friend, to try to calm her down.

"Hey girly, stop worrying so much. You've got this in the bag. Even if the viewers don't pick you, there's no way Beca won't." She said, elbowing Chloe gently, winking at her. The redhead looked up at her taller friend.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Chloe said a little defensively. Stacie's eyes glinted.

"Don't even pretend you two don't have a thing. I saw the way you two looked at each other this morning. It was subtle. but me being me picked it up. Plus I've seen you pining over her for the last couple of months. And you've been extremely happy as of late, thanks in part to our little DJ." Chloe looked at Stacie in shock, and a little bit of horror.

Dropping her voice, she hissed at Stacie. "You can't tell anyone about this." Stacie's fist pumped slightly.

"I knew it, I was right!" Chloe groaned. She walked right into that one. She was going to need to be more careful if she was going to keep this from people who could give the new couple grief.

"I'm serious Stacie. No one can know about it. Not now." Stacie quieted, noting Chloe's serious expression. She nodded.

"What kind of friend do you take me for? I'm not going to spill the beans on you and.. you know who." Chloe looked at Stacie gratefully. "One question, though." Chloe sighed. "Is short stuff a good kisser?" Chloe blushed, red creeping up her neck. Stacie just laughed. "I'll take that as a yes."

A stagehand, thankfully, saved the redhead from any further teasing as he came to fetch Stacie. Adam's team was up very soon. "Wish me luck." Stacie winked at Chloe. The redhead just laughed and shook her head.

"Good luck Stace. Not that you need it" The brunette sauntered off into the wings, awaiting her turn. Chloe, without her friend to distract her, retreated back into her nervousness. This was big, this was in front of America. They would be deciding her future on the show. She had never performed in front of an audience that big before. Sure, it's not like they'd all be in studio. But just knowing that so many people were watching were enough to send Chloe's heart into overload.

Deciding to turn her attention away from her anxiety, she decided to watch Stacie perform, as the tall brunette was up next.

"Up next, representing Team Adam, singing _Me and My Broken Heart,_ Stacie Conrad!" The crowd went wild at the mention of the singer's name. Stacie was easily one of the crowd favorites. With good reason. She had a great voice, she was dripping in this sexual aura that drew people in, and she had the ability to captivate her audience once they were drawn in.

Stacie walked up onto the darkened stage to await her music. Once the first note hit, a single spotlight focused on the brunette.

**All I need's a little love in my life  
** **All I need's a little love in the dark  
** **A little but I'm hoping it might kick start  
** **Me and my broken heart**

**I need a little loving tonight  
** **Hold me so I'm not falling apart  
** **A little but I'm hoping it might kick start  
** **Me and my broken heart**

Stacie had opted to use a microphone stand, so as she stood behind it, she gripped the mic with one hand, waving her hand in the air, dancing to the music. Chloe had to admit, her friend seemed like she was _made_ to be on stage.

**Shotgun, aimed at my heart, you got one  
** **Tear me apart in this song  
** **How do we call this love** **(whoa oh oh oh)**

**I tried, to run away but your eyes  
** **Tell me to stay oh why  
** **Why do we call this love** **(whoa oh oh oh)**

As she sang, the lights on stage turned up to a low glow, as Stacie grabbed the microphone out of the stand, opting to wander the stage. She made sure to make contact with each of the judges, smiling the entire time.

**It seems like we've been losing control  
** **Somebody tell me I'm not alone  
** **When I said**

**All I need's a little love in my life  
** **All I need's a little love in the dark  
** **A little but I'm hoping it might kick start  
** **Me and my broken heart**

**I need a little loving tonight  
** **Hold me so I'm not falling apart  
** **A little but I'm hoping it might kick start  
** **Me and my broken heart**

During the chorus, the lights flared to life, lighting up the stage and the entire studio along with it. Now full of energy, Stacie showcased her range by hitting those high notes. And after everyone, the crowd screamed in support for the singer. They were all enticed and invested in the singer's performance. Adam nodded his head approvingly.

**Maybe some part of you just hates me  
** **You pick me up and play me  
** **How do we call this love? (whoa oh oh oh)**

**One time tell me you need me tonight  
** **To make it easy, you lie  
** **And say it's all for love (whoa oh oh oh)**

The verses of the song were a little less intense than the chorus, like in most songs. So the lights calmed down, dimmed slightly and weren't flashing anymore. However, that didn't stop the singer on stage from performing with just as much energy and conviction as if they were there. Beca watched the girl on stage and was very impressed.

**It seems like we've been losing control  
** **Somebody tell me I'm not alone  
** **When I say**

**All I need's a little love in my life  
** **All I need's a little love in the dark  
** **A little but I'm hoping it might kick start  
** **Me and my broken heart**

**I need a little loving tonight  
** **Hold me so I'm not falling apart  
** **A little but I'm hoping it might kick start  
** **Me and my broken heart**

Once again, for the chorus, the lights picked up, flashing and moving around the stage. Comfortably roaming about the stage, Stacie took a breath. Being up on stage, in her element was exhilarating. She had some minor pyrotechnics go off in the background which excited everyone watching. Chloe, while watching her friend, felt sorry for anyone that was going toe to toe with the formidable singer.

Finishing out the song, Stacie placed the microphone back on the stand and took a bow. The crowd went wild, while Adam stood up from his chair, clapping for his mentee. Smiling, Stacie took her leave of the stage to wait for the rest of her team to perform. She sought out Chloe and the redhead was ecstatic for her.

"Oh my God Stace, that was amazing! Like, really. America is going to be crazy to not pick you to move on!" Stacie took a few deep breaths, a little winded from her performance.

"You think so?" Chloe nodded furiously.

"Of course!" The two spent the rest of the time catching up, along with Stacie giving Chloe a pep talk or two, still trying to calm her down. But before they knew it, Stacie was back up on stage with her fellow team members, waiting nervously.

"Team Adam, America has spoken. And.." Carson paused for dramatic effect. Chloe held her breath, hoping that her friend would be chosen. "Lilly and Stacie will be moving on!" Chloe, along with the rest of the audience cheered for the two performers.

"And Adam? You have the last pick."

"Wow, you all did great tonight. When you all first came onto the show, you all had a lot of potentials, and through the last few months, we've all worked really hard to get to where we are. Unfortunately, only one of you can move on. And I pick.. Cynthia Rose." The crowd cheered for her, as she fist pumped in the air, excited that she would be moving on. The other two contestants looked dejected, but shook hands or hugged their former team members before all of the artists exited the stage.

* * *

Aubrey's team was up next, and Chloe wasn't too interested in watching anyone from the blonde's team. She didn't even really know anyone there except for Jesse. So instead of watching from the sidelines, she took time to compose herself.

'Beca is right, I can do this. I've made it this far, I'm not going to back down now.' Chloe thought to herself. Now more determined than ever, she waited patiently for her turn. She'd be going first, so she was going to be setting the bar for the rest of her team members. It was a little scary, but she'd rather go now than have to follow up a performer that could possibly dwarf her skills. As she waiting on the stage sidelines, she watched Beca. The DJ was slouched back in her seat as she observed the other singers.

A smile came to Chloe's face as she thought of the DJ. If she got up there and only imagined singing for Beca, she knew it was going to be a good night. Just block everything else out. She had sung for Beca millions of times before, this wouldn't be any different.

She heard Carson announce that Jesse and Amy would be moving on, along with a girl named Jessica per Aubrey's pick. As the team walked off the stage, Carson began his introduction of Beca's team. Chloe took a few deep breaths. It was now or never.

"And now, from Team Beca, singing _Fireproof,_ Chloe Beale!" Much like Stacie, the crowd went wild at the mention of her name. Chloe was another fan favorite. Beca's eyes sparked as her girlfriend walked onto the stage. She had also chosen, to begin with, a microphone stand, although she wasn't going to be using it that long.

The beat of the drumsticks sounded, signifying the start of her performance. The audience fell silent. Chloe sought out Beca's face and imagined the rest of the studio blacked out; it was only her and Beca.

**I was better off the night before I met you  
** **But I was mesmerized and high on every word you spoke  
** **You were born to run but your poison tongue won't save you  
** **Cause when you play with fire it all dissolves to smoke**

This song had more of a rock edge to it than songs Chloe had sung in the past. The audience seemed surprised by the choice, but listened and were captivated none the less. Chloe's soprano voice sounded a little out of place in the song, but she managed to make it work. Perhaps it was her passion and conviction for her craft that made up for that.

**I hope your hands burn, when you touch her  
** **I won't be the cure for the scars you've earned  
** **You lit the fuse, thought I'd burn too  
** **But you're playing with a heart that's fireproof**

There were flares and such going off at the edges of the stage, lights brightly flashing around her. While this was a risky song pick for her, Chloe never felt more in her element up on stage. The rock feel of the song gave her more freedom to let loose. Her movements and dancing wasn't restrained to mold into a slow song or a bubblegum pop song.

**Don't know what's behind those eyes  
** **But I can feel it (I can feel it, I can feel it)  
** **The kind of danger in the darkness written on your soul  
** **If the brightest star can light the skies forever (forever)  
** **How could you ever think you were invincible?**

While Chloe didn't really feel a deeper connection with the lyrics, she didn't mind it. Usually, she preferred to sing pieces that showcased her feelings, but this one couldn't have been further from her feelings. Perhaps it was because of the reminder that some people truly didn't have someone to call their own in their lives? Or perhaps it was simply the strength that the song portrayed that drew Chloe to it. Whatever the reason, she was on fire tonight.

**I hope your hands burn, when you touch her  
** **I won't be the cure for the scars you've earned  
** **You lit the fuse, thought I'd burn too  
** **But you're playing with a heart that's fireproof**   


**I watch your flames rise, destroy your alibis  
** **I should have warned you  
** **You're playing with a heart that's fireproof**

As Beca watched Chloe sing, she felt extremely proud of the redhead. Despite all the anxiety and nervousness she had endured the last few days, Chloe had managed to still floor her with her performance. If it were possible, it was better here than she could have ever imagined it in the studio. Chloe's face glowed with confidence and happiness. Beca could see that Chloe had conquered her fears after all.

**No more games, can't escape  
** **You will always be my worst mistake  
** **Gasoline, on your grave  
** **Goin' down in flames, goin' down in flames, goin' down in flames**

**No more games, can't escape  
** **You will always be my worst mistake  
** **Gasoline, on your grave  
** **Goin' down, in, flames**

This was the last chance she had to impress the viewers. Coming into the final chorus, Chloe pulled out all the stops. Giving herself over to the music, she danced and energized the entire studio. There wasn't a body left in the audience that was sitting. They were all on their feet, cheering like they were at a real rock concert. In a moment of downtime, Chloe had the chance to feel elated about how she was doing. But it wasn't over yet.

**I hope your hands burn, when you touch her  
** **I won't be the cure for the scars you've earned  
** **You lit the fuse, thought I'd burn too  
** **But you're playing with a heart that's fireproof**

**I watch your flames rise, destroy your alibis  
** **I should have warned you  
** **You're playing with a heart that's fireproof**

Finishing her song, she thrust a fist into the air, squealing 'Yes!' to herself. Regardless of the lights and glare of the studio around her, Chloe's eyes locked onto Beca's. The brunette with smiling happily at Chloe while standing and clapping for her. Chloe managed to catch a glimpse of pride as well as what possibly was love in the DJ's expression. She grinned at Beca before taking a bow and scampering off to wait for the results.

However as soon as she wasn't within eyesight of the cameras, a tall brunette barreled into her. "Chloe! That was great! Amazing, no, even more than amazing!" Stacie gushed over her friend. Chloe just rubbed the back of her neck.

"Was it really that good?" Now that she had come down from her high off performing, it would be nice to have some affirmation that she did as well as she thought.

Her friend brought her in for a tight hug. "Of course! I wouldn't lie to you, what kind of friend would I be? There's no way in hell you aren't moving on."

And of course, Stacie was right.

* * *

Standing on stage along with her fellow competitors, Chloe felt a slight anxious tightness grip her stomach. She clenched her hands behind her back, trying to keep herself from fidgeting too much.

"And the votes are in. Chloe and Donald will be moving on to the next round!" It took Chloe a second to process, and then when it hit her, she squealed. She looked over at Donald who looked just as excited. Without really thinking, she pulled the guy into a tight hug. She blamed the adrenaline off of moving on for that one. "And Beca, the last choice is yours."

"I'll make this short and simple. We talked earlier today about how proud I am of all of you. I mean, you all forced me into a group hug for God's sake." This elicited a laugh from the audience as well as a light bush from Chloe. However, the lights were so bright and the stage was so hot that no one really noticed. "I hate to have to choose, however, I'm choosing Benji." The crowd clapped and cheered as the somewhat timid male had an excited look on his face.

As the teammates walked off stage, it was a sobering experience for Chloe. For the next few weeks, she'd be performing a live show every week until there were only four people left; one from each team. Thinking about it made Chloe both nervous and determined. It was a strange combination of emotions, but she had been feeling a lot of odd things since starting _The Voice_.

As Blake's team got their turn to go, Chloe could only think about one thing.

How much she wanted to spend time with Beca.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I based Stacie's performance of Me and My Broken Heart, or at least the vocals, off of the cover done by Macy Kate. As for Chloe's performance.. If you've ever seen Chrissy Costanza perform live shows.. You'll see what I'm talking about. She's such a ball of energy. She's where I draw some of my inspiration for Chloe's performance style; although not exactly of course.
> 
> Oh, and before I forget. I'm about 90% sure I didn't write out how Live Playoffs works correctly. So just an acknowledgment. I don't watch the show really, just watch clips on YouTube or research via Google. So I kind of just.. winged it.


	16. And If I Never Finish?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song(s) Used: All or Nothing - Jay Sean

"You did an amazing job today Chlo!" Beca gushed to her girlfriend. After Playoffs were over, Beca and Chloe snuck off to Beca's office for some alone time. They didn't dare go to one of their apartments. It was far too easy for the press to cook up believable stories if they did. At least if they were in Beca's office, they could feign that they were working on a demo track or the show.

Although neither woman could wait until the show was over and they could be more open about their relationship. They were willing to sneak around for now, but both of them were waiting for the minute they didn't have to anymore.

Chloe smiled at the DJ's praise. "Thanks, Becs. You know, I really feel on top of the world right now."

"You should. The viewers picked _you_ to move on. One of the greatest feelings is having people appreciate your work. To know that you're giving back to the people who listen to you. They wouldn't have voted for you if they didn't think you were good." Looking out the window of Beca's office into the night sky, Chloe sighed.

"You're right. It feels amazing." Chloe turned to Beca with a mischievous look in her eyes. "You know what would feel even more amazing?" Chloe said in a low voice that made Beca's spine tingle.

"W.. What?" Beca managed to stammer out. Chloe had to stop herself from giggling at the effect she had on her girlfriend. But she also felt flattered that Beca reacted in such a way to her. So she leaned in, a mere inch away from Beca's face.

"If I could make out with my girlfriend," Beca smirked.

"Well, who am I to refuse a hot redhead?" The brunette wriggled her eyebrows before closing the gap between the two of them. Chloe was still coming down from her high of moving into the next round, and when Beca's lips touched hers, that fire started to roar inside her once again. She reached up to grab Beca's neck and pull her closer.

The DJ complied and leaned in close to the redhead, placing a hand on her waist. The two had shared a few heated kisses since they had gotten together, however, this was different. It was more passionate and desperate. Loving even.

As their lips moved against each other, Chloe brought both of her hands down to Beca's belt loops and with surprising strength, pulled the DJ into her lap so Beca was straddling her. The brunette let out a small yelp, which Chloe chuckled at before pulling her girlfriend back down, smashing their lips together again.

Bringing both hands up to cup Chloe's cheeks, Beca's tongue danced against the other singer's. 'I guess all those vocal exercises paid off,' Beca thought to herself.

Chloe's hands wandered Beca's back, occasionally slipping under the DJ's shirt, feeling the soft skin that lay beneath the fabric. Goosebumps formed on the tiny brunette's skin, gasping out loud. Beca pulled back slightly, panting. "Chlo, we should stop."

Chloe looked up, a bit disappointed, but understanding. Neither one of them were ready for where they would go if they continued. She relented, removing her hands from under Beca's shirt. She waited for the DJ to remove herself from the redhead's lap, but Beca stayed put. She could sense Chloe's disappointment. So she rested her forehead against Chloe's, grabbing one of her hands.

"You know it's not because I don't want to right? I want you more than anything, but I think we both know it's too soon." Chloe closed her eyes.

"No, I know you're right. I guess I just got caught up in the moment. I really like you Beca. Sometimes I forget that we haven't been together for very long." Beca smiled and ran the back of her free hand down Chloe's cheek.

"I feel the same about you. But I want this relationship to be special. I haven't been with someone in a very long time. And all those other men and women meant nothing to me. Mere distractions from my screwed up reality. But you, it's cliche, but you're different. God, this sounds like those bad romance movies that I hate. But I really want to make this work."

Chloe moved her head slightly to kiss Beca on the cheek, before looking down at their still intertwined fingers, rubbing her thumb gently over Beca's hand. "That means a lot to me you know?" She said quietly, voice wavering slightly.

"I mean it Chlo. You're special, even before I developed feelings for you. I knew that you and I, and I can't believe I'm about to say this, were meant to be in each other's lives. As friends, girlfriends or whatever." Chloe smiled.

"Yeah." Chloe stared into the deep blue eyes that were staring back at her. "You know, I was prepared to simply remain your friend. If you didn't have feelings for me that is. I'm still sometimes amazed that you do."

"How could I not? Chloe, you're literally perfect. At least for me you are. You get me, I don't know about you, but I think we just click." Chloe nodded in agreement. "A lot of people don't understand how and why I put so much of myself into my work. Into the music. All that time and effort. A lot of my other partners didn't understand why I spent so much time at work when I could have been with them. But you, you're right there with me. You get it. That's not something you find every day." Chloe gave Beca a somewhat crooked smile.

"You're so sentimental sometimes Mitchell. You're supposed to be a badass, but sometimes you're such a sap." Beca pouted.

"You bring it out of me Beale, sue me." Chloe kissed Beca on the nose. The DJ wrinkled her nose as Chloe's lips touched her face. The redhead laughed.

"Maybe we can settle outside of court?" Beca raised an eyebrow teasingly.

"What did you have in mind Beale?" Chloe's hands ghosted up Beca's sides.

"I was thinking that you'd shower your girlfriend with kisses. Is that acceptable?" Beca pretended to think about it for a second.

"Hmm… I don't know." Chloe swatted Beca on the shoulder before the DJ laughed loudly. "Just kidding, that would be more than acceptable.

Smiling, Chloe boosted herself up to reach Beca's lips. She had sat back and slid down a bit with Beca sitting on her lap. Bringing their lips together once again, the two spent the rest of their night together, on the couch in Beca's office. The lights of LA twinkling around them as the lost themselves in each other.

* * *

With the end of Playoffs, the rest of the contestants moved into Live Shows. It was essentially a free for all at this point. Every contestant would perform each week, with the viewers voting for their favorite performers. The bottom three would be put in the Hotseat, where they would have one chance to sing something, to prove to the nation that they should stay. The audience would vote to save one of the three. The other two would be eliminated. This would continue for four weeks until only four were left.

After their makeout session the night before, Chloe had gone back to her apartment, unable to sleep. So instead she broke out her laptop, in search of possible songs to arrange and perform for Shows. She put together a decently long list of choices that she could run by Beca when they saw each other next. Picking out songs from Against the Current, Taylor Swift, Ellie Goulding and other artists, she had quite the genre variety.

When she arrived at the studio, she sought out Beca, but Aubrey found her first. Greeting the redhead warmly, Aubrey approached. "Morning Chloe."

The singer smiled at the blonde. "Hi Aubrey, how have you been?" She asked politely.

"I've been good. Nice job last night. You continue to impress people like that, you'll have a good chance of making it to finals." Chloe's chest swelled with pride.

"You think so?" Aubrey nodded.

"Of course I do."

"That's really nice of you to say, thank you." The blonde waved her off.

"It's true. Listen, Chloe, my intentions for seeking you out weren't entirely to compliment you, although you deserve it." Aubrey looked around to see if anyone was around, but they were alone in the small hallway. "Look, I know about you and Beca. And before you say anything, she didn't say anything. I know Beca, I figured it out." Chloe sighed. So now there were two people who knew, this didn't bode well if they wanted to keep their relationship a secret.

"I.. well.. I don't know what to say." Chloe stammered. Aubrey rested a hand on Chloe's shoulder.

"You don't need to say anything. I just wanted to tell you.. Me and Beca might not be close anymore, but I'm sure she's told you that we were once friends." Chloe nodded. Beca had mentioned that. "Regardless of our.. issues, I don't want to see her unhappy. You make her happier than I've seen her in a long time. Don't break her heart." Chloe smiled. Even though the DJ and blonde weren't on the best terms, Aubrey was still giving her the 'best friend chat.'

"I promise you, I have no intention to hurt her. Might I do it unintentionally? Perhaps. But I will do everything in my power to make sure that doesn't happen, and fix it if it does. She means a lot to me." Chloe admitted. Aubrey gave the redhead a short nod.

"See that you do. She'll be devastated if you leave her. That girl has been through enough. She's strong, but she still needs someone to lean on." Aubrey finished, turned and walked away, letting Chloe process. The redhead was starting to see Aubrey in a new light. Beca and Aubrey always seemed to be at each other's throats, but lately, they had been civil with each other. And if the conversation that Chloe just had was any indication, Aubrey really did care about Beca's wellbeing.

Not dwelling on it for long, Chloe returned to her search for Beca.

* * *

Meanwhile, the DJ was sitting in a studio with Pharrell, catching up on who they had left and where to go next.

"So I have Benji, Donald and Chloe left." Pharrell nodded.

"All strong picks. Although I'd put my money on the red-headed ball of fire." Beca laughed.

"So would I. I know that Stacie is Adam's pick and Jesse is Aubrey's. I'm not sure about Blake, but I think it's some girl named Emily. Not that it's set in stone since it's really all up to the audience who makes it to the Final Four."

"They're all strong singers and performers. This year's finals should prove to be an interesting one." Beca smiled.

"They should indeed. I know Chloe and Stacie are pretty good friends. So I wonder how that will turn out." Beca's eyes lit up slightly as they talked about Chloe and that didn't go unnoticed by Pharrell.

"So, how are you and the little redhead doing?" Beca raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean by that?" Pharrell shrugged.

"How are you handling it? You seem so adamant on not telling her about your feelings, I'm just wondering how you're coping being around her so much." Beca sighed, slightly in relief. Pharrell seemingly didn't suspect a thing. She came up with a believable lie.

"It's been hard. I really like her, but nothing can happen. Maybe after the show, if we keep in contact something will." Beca lied smoothly. Pharrell seemed to buy it, as he looked at his friend sympathetically

"I feel for you girl. It sucks, wanting what you can't have. But based on how much time you two spend together, you'll probably remain friends after the show. Then you can show her the famous Mitchell Moves." Beca's jaw dropped, laughing that Pharrell had really just used that phrase.

"Mitchell Moves? Really?" Pharrell just raised his hands in defense.

"Hey, you know me. I call them as I see them." Beca shook her head before there was a knock at the door.

"Saved by the bell, man. Come in!" She called out. Chloe poked her head in the door.

"Oh, I'm not interrupting anything, am I? I can come back later." Chloe said as she noticed the other singer in the room with Beca. As she went to leave, Beca called out to her.

"Wait, Chloe, you weren't interrupting anything. He was just leaving." Beca glared at Pharrell who took the hint.

"Yeah, we were just talking about show stuff, it can wait until later. She's all yours." Pharrell winked at Beca before getting up and leaving. "Take care of her," Pharrell whispered softly as she passed Chloe on the way out. Chloe's eyes went wide before looking back at Pharrell, whose back was to her. What he meant by that she didn't know. She hoped that he didn't know about her and Beca, but the two were close, it was possible that he figured it out like Aubrey did.

"Chlo? What did you need?" Chloe was jolted out of her thoughts, before remembering why she came to see Beca in the first place.

"Oh yeah." She pulled a folded up piece of paper out of her pocket, before walking over to Beca and placing it on the table in front of her. She took the seat that had been previously been occupied by the celebrity advisor. "I couldn't sleep last night." Giving Beca a distinct look, letting her know the reason wasn't because of insomnia. "So I thought I'd come up with an idealist of what to sing at Live Shows. I just thought I'd get your opinions on it if you have any suggestions.

Beca looked the list over. Some of the songs that Chloe had picked were her up and coming pop-infused rock style, something that was seeming to rub off of Beca and onto Chloe. But other songs were complete curveballs. Beca raised her eyebrow.

"The Thong Song by Sisqo? Really Chlo?" The redhead blushed a bright shade of red. She thought she had erased that one.

"I.. uh.. What? It's a good song. That whole album.." Chloe trailed off as Beca gave her a look.

"That whole album? You have the album?" Chloe looked at Beca sheepishly.

"Yeah, _Unleash the Dragon._ " Beca looked at Chloe incredulously.

"What is happening?" Beca said to more herself than anyone. Chloe buried her face in her hands. Beca laughed and put a hand on Chloe's back.

"Hey, I'm just teasing." Chloe gave Beca a dirty look.

"Well now that you're done making fun of my music choices, any opinions on the list?" Beca gave it a second look.

"Yeah, I think you should sing this one," She pointed to a song on the list, "At the first show. And this one," she pointed to another one, "I think I want to hear you sing in a booth, see if we can make it a demo. I have a feeling you'll do this one pretty well." Chloe nodded, agreeing with Beca.

"When you do you want to start it?" Beca thought for a second.

"I think I have the instrumental version in my collection. If you want to go to the studio later today, we can test it out?" Beca looked around, although knowing there was no one around before she whispered to Chloe, "Besides, I'm looking forward to getting some _alone time_ with you again."

The tone of Beca's voice sent shivers down Chloe back. Biting her lip and nodding, "Yeah, sure. Sounds good, when do you want to head out?" Beca checked the time. It was only one in the afternoon.

"I'll come find you at three and we can go from there?" Chloe nodded in agreement.

"Sure, I'll just go find Stacie and practice with her for a little bit." Beca felt a little twinge of jealousy. She knew it was irrational as Chloe and Stacie were just friends, but Beca couldn't help it. Jealousy wasn't really a logical emotion. But she didn't let it show and simply nodded.

"Alright, I'll come find you later."

* * *

After two long hours, the couple was finally situated in Beca's recording studio, Chloe in the sound booth. Giving Beca the thumbs up to start the music, the DJ pressed play.

**There wasn't anything I didn't love about you  
** **You'd do some stupid things and I'd laugh at those too  
** **And we went together like the summer in June  
** **But who'd have known that it'd rain so soon**

**Thought I'd be the only one that'd make you smile  
** **Thought I'd be the only one that'd really know how  
** **But you showed me different and I know better now  
** **I gotta get you out my system somehow**

Even after only the first verse, Beca knew that this was a good song for Chloe. Jay Sean had more of an R&B feel to his music, but he was a passionate singer when he gave it his all. Once again, Chloe's voice didn't fit perfectly with the music, however with some minor tweaking, maybe a key change, Beca was confident that it would be great.

**I replay it over and over again  
** **You were my girl, now we ain't even friends  
** **You could've been my all or nothing, all or nothing  
** **Now to me you're nothing  
** **Girl, you're nothing, now you're nothing**

**Put you on a pedestal, girl, I held you so high  
** **Was never too good at finding the words to describe  
** **Just how I felt for you but you know that I tried  
** **But somehow we went and changed inside**

Beca pressed pause on the music before hitting the intercom button. "That sounded great Chloe, I think this is definitely demo material. Coupled with your other one, I think it really showcases your range; both in singing range and genre capabilities. You think you could put together an arrangement when you have the time?" Chloe nodded.

"Yeah, I still have shows to focus on, but I'm sure there'll be time to do something. It might be a while, though." Chloe removed the headphones from her ears and stepped out of the booth. Beca stood up and gently wrapped her arms around the redhead's waist, pulling the singer closer.

"Of course. Whenever you have time. I'll still be here when you finish." Chloe smiled and rested her arms behind Beca's neck.

"And if I never finish?" It was a loaded question, but one Beca, surprisingly, wasn't afraid to answer.

"I'll still be here." Those words warmed Chloe's heart. It was reassurance that even if they didn't work out as a couple, that Beca would still be there for her. Not that Chloe was expecting them not to work out. Especially after that promise she made to Aubrey. But sometimes shit happens. Chloe knew that. Both of them would be devastated if they didn't work out. And Chloe prayed that they never found out what they felt like.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Focused on Bechloe. I thought I did a decent job at this one. Fluffy with some seriousness romantic feels attached. I wanted to bring in Aubrey somehow. And since she knew about their relationship.. It kind of wrote itself.


	17. Are You Trying To Tell Me Something?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song(s) Used: DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love - Usher ft. Pitbull  
> We Found Love - Rihanna

"Tommy! I can't believe you booked me on such short notice!" Chloe almost yelled at her manager through her cell phone. "You tell me that I'm supposed to perform at one of the hottest LA clubs, two days before? Really man?" The frustrated redhead could almost feel Tommy's embarrassment through the phone.

"Hey, I know sorry isn't enough Chlo, but I could have sworn I told you." Chloe groaned. She had not wanted to wake up this way. She had groggily gotten out of bed to the sound of her phone ringing. And whatever she was expecting, it wasn't this.

"Well Tommy, you didn't. How am I supposed to have a set ready for Friday? On top of working on a song for _The Voice_?"

"That's the beauty of what night you'll be performing Chlo. Look, it's basically a talent night at Insanity. You're only going to have to perform one or two songs. I booked you a ten o'clock slot. You'll be up there for ten to fifteen minutes and you're done. Simple."

"Tommy.."

"Wait, before you just flat out say no, they called me to ask for you specifically. You know Insanity is one of the most popular nightclubs in the area. Their 'Artist Night' events are big. They call the most promising up and coming artists to come out and perform. And there's probably going to be a bunch of producers and talent scouts there. Depending on how _The Voice_ turns out, this could be a good fall back." Chloe secretly knew that it didn't really matter how the show went, but she went along with the idea anyways.

"I guess you're right. Ugh, thanks for the extra work Tommy."

"Man, I'm sorry Chlo. I could have sworn I told you." Chloe considered just singing her demo track that Beca had helped her with, and maybe squeeze in finishing _All or Nothing_ early. Or at least coming up with a performable version of it.

"Hey, it's alright. It's just early and I haven't had my coffee yet. I do appreciate you getting me this gig. It's a bigger one than I've ever had."

"Yeah! Like I was telling you. They specifically wanted you. I guess they've been noticing you on _The Voice."_

"Yeah I suppose. Anyways I guess I'd better get up and get to work. I'll talk to you later Tommy."

"Alright, Chlo. Good luck. Again, I'm sorry for not telling you sooner." And the two hung up. Chloe flopped back in her bed and groaned. She was excited to be performing at Insanity, but she had a short amount of time to get a lot of work done. Forcing herself to get out of bed, she wandered over to her small kitchen and made herself a cup of coffee. Leaning up against the counter, she thought through how she was going to handle this.

The simple answer would be to do _See You Again_ for sure and have another couple of songs prepared as well. She could do songs she had already done on _The Voice,_ but she wanted to avoid that if possible. Or she could perform songs she used to do before she was even on _The Voice_. She wanted her set to be unique, not something she had performed before, though. _See You Again_ was something that was on her demo list, but she had never actually performed it for anyone besides Beca.

Speaking of her girlfriend, she could always call the DJ and ask for advice. It was somewhat early though and she wasn't sure if the brunette was awake yet. Pulling her phone out, she opened her contacts and scrolled down to Beca's number. She smiled as she looked at the picture of her girlfriend. The two of them had taken photos of each other in the studio, goofing off one day. Chloe had captured a particularly good candid of Beca laughing. The relationship between the two had been growing slowly, but regardless of that, the two were in each other's company as much as they could. It was irritating to both of them that they couldn't go out in public or spend the night with each other, but it was necessary until the show was over.

Chloe's finger hovered over the call button for a minute, debating whether to call her girlfriend or not. Instead, she pressed the message button and shot off a quick text, asking if the DJ was awake. She quickly got a reply signifying that she was. Hoping that Beca wasn't busy, Chloe dialed her number. The brunette picked up on the second right.

"Morning Chlo. To what do I owe the pleasure of this phone call, so early in the morning?"

"Hey, Becs. I didn't wake you did I?" Chloe asked nervously.

"Nah. I was up anyways. Don't worry." Chloe let out a sigh of relief. She hated being woken up by phone calls and therefore hated doing it to other people. "And not that I'm not happy to hear your voice first thing in the morning, but I know you didn't call just to chat."

"You already know me way too well Becs." She heard her girlfriend laugh on the other end. "But yeah I did call you for a reason. Advice actually. My manager, who is a complete knucklehead, neglected to tell me that he booked me for 'Artist Night' at Insanity on Friday. He told me this morning, and I'm completely unprepared. I don't really know what to do. I want to do it, but no idea what to sing or anything."

"That's great though Chlo! Insanity is a really hot club. I've spun tracks there before. It's a really nice venue. Their 'Artist Night' events are really top notch. I have talent scouts go there all the time to find potential artists to sign to the label."

"Yeah, that's what Tommy told me too. But it's such short notice. What should I do?"

"Well, do you have any ideas of your own?" Chloe relayed her thoughts about what she'd perform to Beca. "Well, I think that sounds like a solid plan. I think you're right about not performing songs you already have. Although I'd suggest perhaps performing more upbeat, dance songs if you're going to be performing at a club. You think you'd want to meet up today and brainstorm?"

"Yes! Thank you, Becs. You're the best!" Chloe gushed. She heard Beca laugh at her through the phone line.

"Yeah I am." She said cockily. "But anyway, would you be ready in a couple hours?" Chloe almost nodded, before remembering that Beca couldn't see her through that phone.

"Of course. I'd never pass up an opportunity to see my girlfriend." Chloe smiled, even though Beca couldn't see her.

"Perfect, I'll see you later babe," Beca said before hanging up. Chloe's heart warmed at Beca calling her babe. She might have been overreacting to such a simple term of endearment, but she couldn't help it. It made their relationship feel even more real than it already was. But for now, she only had a couple hours to get ready.

* * *

Chloe walked through the lobby, saying a quick hello to Anna before going up. The receptionist waved at the redhead that often frequented Beca's floor. As the elevator stopped at the DJ's floor, Chloe beelined for Beca's office. Knocking on the door before pushing it open, she was greeted by the sight of her girlfriend immersed in her computer.

The brunette looked up and grinned at her girlfriend. "Hey, Chlo." She patted a chair next to her, gesturing for the redhead to come sit next to her. As Chloe sat down, Beca leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.

"Hey, Becs. Not that I'm not grateful, but shouldn't you be on set right now?" Beca shrugged.

"I guess, but they're not going to kill me if I don't show up once. Besides Donald and Benji are both situated for the week. I talked with both of them earlier and they both know what they're doing for the first show. Don't worry. Worst case scenario, Pharrell is there today and they can go to him." Chloe nodded.

"Okay, well. I just didn't know who to go to. I mean, I'm excited that Insanity wanted me, but it's such short notice, compliments of Tommy, that it's just really overwhelming." Beca turned to Chloe and placed her hands on the redhead's shoulders.

"Alright Chlo, just take a deep breath. It'll be alright. Realistically, this is such a smaller audience than the entire country." Chloe laughed. Beca had a point.

"Yeah, there's that. But I guess for Playoffs, I had more time to prepare." Beca nodded sympathetically.

"Yes, but I know you can do this. I know you said you were thinking about singing _See You Again_ , but like I said on the phone, you're playing a club. A popular nightclub at that. I'd suggest you sing something that people can dance to. Besides, didn't you have a set list before you started at _The Voice?_ You told me that you used to sing small sports bars and stuff right?" Chloe nodded.

"Yeah, I just kind of wanted to mix it up a little bit."

"I totally understand where you're coming from, but maybe for a venue like Insanity, you might sing stuff that you're more comfortable and experienced at. At least for now, since you don't have a ton of time to prepare." Chloe agreed with Beca's train of thought.

"You're probably right. But that still begs the question, what should I sing?" Beca pulled up a list of songs from her collection.

"Here, why don't you look through these and see if any catch your eye. It's my club track list. Maybe you can find something you like." Chloe looked at her girlfriend appreciatively before focusing on the music in front of her. Within a few minutes, Chloe had locked on to a couple different tracks that she pointed out to Beca.

"How about these two?" Beca looked a little closer to see that Chloe had chosen _DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love_ and _We Found Love._ Beca nodded in approval.

"Good picks Chlo. Although, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you were trying to tell me something with your songs." Chloe blushed a little bit. She hadn't thought of it like that, but once Beca brought it up, she couldn't think of anything else.

"I.. uh... well.." Beca laughed at Chloe's stuttering before leaning in to kiss Chloe's lips. The redhead could feel her girlfriend smiling as their lips moved against each other. When both of them needed air, they broke apart.

Beca rested her forehead against Chloe's and whispered, "For the record, I feel the same way about you." Chloe's heart jumped. Her face broke out into a crooked grin. The feeling that Chloe was experiencing was indescribable, something she had only imagined. She closed the gap between her and Beca again, pressing their lips together in a searing kiss.

Beca was the first to pull back, but her eyes were sparkling with happiness. "I'll never get tired of that." Chloe nodded her head in agreement.

"Me either." Beca looked back to her computer screen.

"Anyways, these the two that you're going to do?"

"I think so, what do you think?"

"Babe, this is your gig. It's all up to you." Beca squeezed Chloe's shoulder reassuringly. The redhead warmed at Beca's use of the word babe again.

"You know, I love it when you call me babe." Beca smiled.

"Honestly I didn't even know I was doing it. But I'll keep that in mind for the future." Beca winked and Chloe laughed. Beca grabbed an empty USB drive from one of her desk drawers and loaded Chloe's track choices onto it. Standing up, she offered Chloe her hand. The redhead took the offered hand and Beca pulled her to her feet.

"Let's go get you ready for Friday."

* * *

Chloe was waiting for her turn to go on at Insanity. The club was pretty packed that night. Artist Nights were always popular events, especially in the production business. Insanity was popular for booking artists that had high potential to be the 'next big thing.' However, surprisingly, Chloe wasn't too nervous to go on. Perhaps because it was much less nerve-wracking than singing live on TV in front of the entire country.

When she had gotten to the club earlier that evening, she had been greeted by one of the club owners, who was very friendly and welcoming to her. He had mentioned that he had seen her on _The Voice_ and immediately fallen in love with her voice. Chloe felt flattered at the compliments. It was extremely gratifying to actually have people in the real world take notice of her talents. Of course, she knew they did, but it was a different experience to actually be approached by people.

She had watched and listened to some other performers that night, and they were all extremely good. Of course, they'd have to be to be able to book a gig like this. Someone tapped Chloe on her shoulder, and she turned around only to be surprised by who it was.

"Beca! I thought you said you couldn't make it!" Chloe threw her arms around the DJ and had to try very hard not to kiss her girlfriend.

"Hah, and miss my best friend sing at one of the hottest clubs in LA? Not a chance." Chloe's face lit up with a bright smile.

"Well, it means the world to me that you showed up. And not that I'm not grateful, but how did you make your way back here?" Beca looked at Chloe skeptically.

"Really Chlo? I'm one of the top producers in the business. I have my ways." She said mysteriously. Chloe just chuckled and shook her head.

"Whatever Mitchell. I'm up soon, so you might want to go get a good viewing spot." She winked at the DJ, who just blew her a kiss and walked away. Knowing that her girlfriend was here, Chloe felt the need to perform perfectly. Not that she didn't before, but there was more of a reason now. Like Beca had mentioned before, these songs conveyed a message. And even if no one besides Beca understood, it was still important to Chloe.

An assistant made his way over to the redhead and informed her that she was up soon. She thanked him and made her way to side stage. Watching the performer currently up there, she tried to herself in the zone. She had performed live in front of millions of viewers. Singing a couple of songs in front of a packed club was nothing.

As the guy before her finished his set, the crowd cheered as he walked off. The DJ of the night introduced her. "And you know her from _The Voice._ A little redheaded firecracker as many call her. Hailing from Team Beca, please welcome, Chloe Beale!" The crowd cheered in recognition of who would be gracing the stage next.

Microphone in hand, Chloe walked out on stage, the stage lights illuminating her vision. "How are you doing LA?" She shouted into the mic. The crowd roared in response. Chloe tried to search for Beca, but the mass of people and dimmed dance floor made it difficult. "This one is going out there for our favorite DJ, DJ Mitchell!" Chloe hadn't exactly planned to dedicate the song to Beca, but she thought it was appropriate, and didn't think it gave anything away.

**So we back in the club  
** **Get that bodies rockin from side to side (side to side)  
** **Thank God the week is done  
** **I feel like a zombie gone back to life (back to life)**

The electro sound of the song immediately got the crowd pumped up. This was definitely different than playing a sports bar or even performing on _The Voice_. Chloe felt exhilarated being up on stage, energetically dancing and pumping her fist in the air.

**Hands up, and suddenly we all got our hands up  
** **No control of my body  
** **Ain't I seen you before?  
** **I think I remember those eyes, eyes, eyes, eyes**

As Beca watched her girlfriend perform, she fell even more in love with her. Seeing Chloe in the passion of the music warmed the DJ's heart. And knowing that the song was directed at her, in a way that no one else knew. Well, it was special. Beca couldn't think of her life before Choe. And here in the moment, she only thought of it with the redhead in it.

**'Cause baby tonight, the DJ got us falling in love again  
** **Yeah, baby tonight, the DJ got us falling in love again  
** **So dance, dance, like it's the last, last night of your life, life  
** **Gonna get you right  
** **'Cause baby tonight, the DJ got us falling in love again**

Chloe wasn't much of a dancer, but she knew enough about performing and had been working enough with Beca that she got by. And judging from the energy of the crowd, they were as into the song as she was.

**Keep downing drinks like there's no tomorrow  
** **There's just right now, now, now, now, now, now  
** **Gonna set the roof on fire  
** **Gonna burn this motherf- down, down, down, down, down, down**

**Hands up, when the music drops  
** **We both put our hands up  
** **Put your hands on my body  
** **Swear I seen you before  
** **I think I remember those eyes, eyes, eyes, eyes**

Chloe couldn't do anything besides think of her girlfriend. Although she couldn't see her, she knew Beca was there, listening and watching. The redhead also couldn't help being a tiny bit turned on from the experience. Add together the adrenaline of performing in the hottest nightclub in LA, the energy of the crowd, and the meaning of the song for her, it was a lost cause. It was going to be really hard not to jump the DJ when Chloe next saw her.

**'Cause baby tonight, the DJ got us falling in love again  
** **Yeah, baby tonight, the DJ got us falling in love again  
** **So dance, dance, like it's the last, last night of your life, life  
** **Gonna get you right  
** **'Cause baby tonight, the DJ got us falling in love again**

Chloe and Beca had decided to leave the rapping up to Pitbull's background vocals, so Chloe had a chance to gauge the audience, and hype them up. Dancing with them, she put her 'firecracker' nickname to good use. Swinging her arm above her head, jumping up and down on stage, the redhead continued to keep the dance crowd going.

**Hear no evil, or speak no evil, or see no evil  
** **Get it, baby, hope you catch it like T.O.,  
** **That's how we roll  
** **My life is a movie, and you just tivo**

**Honey got me swishin' like a dreadlock  
** **She won't wrestle, but I got her in a headlock  
** **Yabba dabba doo, make her bed rock  
** **Mami on fire, psh, red hot**

**Bada bing, bada boom  
** **Mr. Worldwide as I step in the room  
** **I'm a hustler, baby, but that you knew  
** **And tonight it's just me and you**

Beca danced along with the crowd, her eyes never leaving the gorgeous redhead on stage. She was proud of Chloe for pulling this together on such short notice and doing so spectacularly. Beca had never felt this level of pride for anyone before. Everything that Chloe did made Beca fall a little bit more for the redhead. And Beca knew that it wouldn't be long before she really did fall head over heels in love with her girlfriend.

**'Cause baby tonight, the DJ got us falling in love again  
** **Yeah, baby tonight, the DJ got us falling in love again  
** **So dance, dance, like it's the last, last night of your life, life  
** **Gonna get you right**

**'Cause baby tonight, the DJ got us falling in love again  
** **Yeah, baby tonight, the DJ got us falling in love again  
** **So dance, dance, like it's the last, last night of your life, life  
** **Gonna get you right**

**'Cause baby tonight, the DJ got us falling in love again  
** **Yeah, thank you DJ**

As Chloe finished her song, the crowd cheered and hollered for the talented redhead. "You like that LA?" The deafening sound the crowd made affirmed that they did. "Well, I've got one more for you!" The crowd clapped and cheered in anticipation of Chloe's next song.

**Yellow diamonds in the light  
** **Now we're standing side by side  
** **As your shadow crosses mine  
** **What it takes to come alive  
** **It's the way I'm feeling I just can't deny  
** **But I've gotta let it go**

A definite deviation from Usher and Pitbull, the Rihanna song was met with the same enthusiasm as the song before it. The track still had the somewhat electro feel, but it was still very different. It was a lighter song than Usher's club hit.

**We found love in a hopeless place  
** **We found love in a hopeless place  
** **We found love in a hopeless place  
** **We found love in a hopeless place**

One thing Chloe did have to say about this song; the chorus was certainly repetitive. However, that didn't stop her from dancing about the stage. Watching people bounce and dance to the song was motivating for Chloe to keep up the same energy level. She was on a performance high and nothing was going to bring her down.

**Shine a light through an open door  
** **Love and life I will divide  
** **Turn away 'cause I need you more  
** **Feel the heartbeat in my mind  
** **It's the way I'm feeling I just can't deny  
** **But I've gotta let it go**

Beca had eyed some talent scouts in the crowd alongside her. She noticed that they were gazing up at the redhead approvingly. Beca couldn't help but feel a twinge of possessiveness. 'She's mine guys. Back the fuck up.' If she didn't want to before, now she really wanted to sign Chloe to the label. But that would have to wait. For now.

**We found love in a hopeless place  
** **We found love in a hopeless place  
** **We found love in a hopeless place  
** **We found love in a hopeless place**

The thing about repetitive lyrics was that although easy to remember, the performer still had to differentiate each line from the other. If they didn't, the song would just be one long song of a single line. And that's no fun. Rihanna had a certain talent for making that work. And while Chloe was nowhere near the popular singer's level, she tried her best.

**Yellow diamonds in the light  
** **Now we're standing side by side  
** **As your shadow crosses mine (mine, mine, mine)**

**We found love in a hopeless place  
** **We found love in a hopeless place  
** **We found love in a hopeless place  
** **We found love in a hopeless place**

**We found love in a hopeless place  
** **We found love in a hopeless place  
** **We found love in a hopeless place  
** **We found love in a hopeless place**

Ending off her song, Chloe took a bow. The crowd cheered and whistled in approval of the redhead, Beca right along with them. As Chloe made her way off stage, Beca hurried to meet her girlfriend.

Still coming down from her performer's high, when she entered the small dressing room set aside for performers, she wasn't expecting the tight hug that she received from the DJ. Coming out of her surprise, she wrapped her arms tightly around Beca's neck. Luckily, the room was empty at the moment.

"You did great Chlo. Not going to lie, it was really hot seeing you up on stage." Chloe laughed at Beca's statement. And whispered in her ear.

"Well, it really turned me on being up there too." Beca's breath hitched and she groaned. She let go of Chloe and stepped back a little bit.

"You can't say things like that to me Chlo. It's already hard enough to keep myself off of you." Chloe raised an eyebrow.

"Well, maybe I don't want you to hold back." Beca sighed.

"Babe, you know we can't." Chloe's shoulders sagged, but she nodded.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know. It's just hard. I want nothing more than to be able to hold your hand in public, kiss you without worrying who sees and bring you home with me without thinking about the consequences." Beca smiled in understanding.

"I know you do. I would give just about anything for that. But the show will be over in a little over a month. Then we're free to do what we want. I just don't.." Chloe cut her off.

"I know, winning _The Voice_ , people know that we're dating and accuse me of sleeping with you to win and mess up my career. I get it Beca, really. I'm just irritated by the circumstances." And Beca couldn't do anything but agree with her girlfriend. As the two walked out of the dressing room and out to the dance floor to watch a couple more artists before heading back to their respective apartments, they failed to notice the lone cameraman snap a couple pictures of them in each other's company.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter turned out longer than I anticipated, but I think that's because I added two songs, at the full length too. I usually cut them towards the middle, but it was kind of necessary to add the entire thing. Anyways, I wanted to write in a little bit of fluff that had nothing to do with the show.
> 
> Anyways, the whole Artist Night at the nightclub is entirely made up. I just thought it would a cutesie event for Chloe to perform at. Insanity is also meant to be a made up club, so if there's an actual club in LA named Insanity.. Well.. It's not that one. 
> 
> I hope you guys can picture her performances. It is kind of hard to describe something that's so dynamic and in the moment. Best thing to get an idea of how I picture it is to just look up some live club performances, concerts or whatever. I think if you've ever seen a pop or rock artist perform live, you'll have a good idea of what I'm trying to portray.


	18. Trust Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song(s) Used: A Thousand Years - Christina Perri

_Is Beca Mitchell finally playing the field again?_

_By: Kelly Hines_

_For years, professional producer Beca Mitchell has never shown interest in anyone. But all that might be changing. Reports indicate that DJ Mitchell attended an event at the nightclub, Insanity. What makes this attendance stand out was who she went to watch. Team member and fellow singer on The Voice, Chloe Beale. Mitchell was seen attending the event as Beale performed and images were captured of the two of them dancing together later that night._

_What's more, Beale is on record dedicating one of her songs to Mitchell. Is this just inspiration driven appreciation or something more? It's widely known that Beca Mitchell is interested in women. Could Chloe Beale be a love interest for the DJ? If she is, what does that mean for Beale's stint on The Voice? We'd love to hear your thoughts on this relationship between the DJ and the young singer._

* * *

Chloe had woken up, again, to the sound of her phone ringing. Groaning, she rolled over to grab the offending device off her nightstand. Glancing at the caller ID she saw that it was Tommy and begrudgingly picked up. "What is it, Tommy?" Chloe hissed into the phone.

"Chloe! Have you seen the internet today? Or the paper. Or the tabloids?"

"Of course not. I was sleeping before I was rudely awoken by you. I haven't looked at anything except your name on my caller ID." Chloe said grumpily.

"You need to see this. Open up your computer and search your name." Chloe moaned.

"Tommy, can this wait?"

"No Chlo, it can't." Chloe sighed and pulled herself out of bed, heading over to her laptop.

"What is this about Tommy?" Chloe asked her manager as she waited for her computer to boot up, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"It's probably better that you see it for yourself." Chloe opened up her internet browser and typed her name into the search field. Clicking on the 'News' tab on Google, her jaw dropped at what she saw.

"What the fuck?" Chloe exclaimed. All she saw were articles about her and Beca at Insanity the night before. Clicking on one of the articles, she didn't bother reading it but stared at the images on her screen. The two had stayed at the club for an hour or so after Chloe had finished. The pictures that were taken were innocent enough, it just looked like two friends dancing.

"The media is having a field day over you and Beca, Chlo. I've been getting calls all morning, asking for a comment. I've turned them all away obviously." Chloe couldn't reply. She was too busy staring at the pictures of her and her girlfriend. This was exactly what the two didn't want to happen. While there were no explicit indications of a relationship between the two of them, the rumors were enough. Sensing that Chloe wanted to left alone, Tommy spoke. "Hey Chloe, look, I'll talk to you a little bit later. Give you time to process this. Okay?"

"Yeah, sure. Thanks for telling me Tommy. I would have walked out my door and probably gotten swarmed if you hadn't warned me." Chloe said distantly before hanging up. Scrolling down the page, she skimmed the article. It was basically theory crafting possible reasons that Chloe and Beca were at the club together, and why Chloe had dedicated one of her songs to Beca. Most of which included a steamy romance.

Looking down at the comments, there was a mix of reactions.

" _They seem so cute together. They should date if they aren't already."_

" _Isn't Beca like her coach and judge though?"_

" _The redhead is such a slut. Taking advantage of Beca to win The Voice. What a bitch!"_

And most of them continued like that. Chloe shut her laptop lid and slouched back in her chair, running her hands through her messy red hair. She knew it had been a risk being seen together the night before, but she never imaged that the media would jump on a possible relationship between them that quickly. She really needed to talk to Beca. Checking her watch, it was only eight in the morning. She expected Beca was probably still asleep, the DJ making it a habit of sleeping in on Saturdays.

But this was important. So she picked up her phone and dialed Beca's number.

"Hey, you've reached Beca Mitchell. If I haven't picked up, I'm obviously away from my phone. Or I've forgotten it somewhere again. Either way, leave me a message and I'll get back to you." Chloe groaned in frustration.

"Becs, it's Chloe. I don't know if you're still asleep or in the shower or something. But we need to talk. Call me as soon as you get this, please." Chloe pressed the 'End' button and set her phone on the table. She sighed and got up to make herself a cup of coffee, she was going to need it.

* * *

Despite her jitteriness over the whole situation, Chloe still spent most of the morning in her apartment, not daring to go out. She needed to finish up her performance for Live Shows. She had gotten all her stage needs straightened out earlier in the week, but she still needed to perfect her arrangement and practice.

The redhead glanced over at her phone at least every ten minutes, but ten o'clock came around and her girlfriend still hadn't called. Chloe was getting worried. Beca was a late sleeper, but Chloe had assumed that the brunette would have been woken up by someone this morning like Tommy had woken her up. But nothing. Radio silence.

Chloe tried to concentrate on her arrangement, but the lack of response from Beca was taking up most of her focus. She decided to take a break and make herself a snack. She sat down at her kitchen table with a PB&J sandwich, and just as she was about to take a bite, her phone rang. Immediately putting down her food in favor of her phone, she picked up the call when she saw it was the girl she had been worrying over all morning.

"Beca! You got my message right?" Chloe blurted out.

"Yeah, and I know what you want to talk about. But, I think it shouldn't be over the phone. Can I come over to your apartment?" Chloe was immediately concerned. The two had taken very careful precautions to not go to the other's apartment. But of course, that reason was blown completely out of the water.

"You sure? We can meet somewhere.." Chloe trailed off, realizing how stupid that idea was.

"No, I'm already out and about. I'll just come over. You don't need to leave you place. I'm sure there are paparazzi camping outside your building, just waiting for you to leave."

"But what about you? Are you sure you should be seen coming to my apartment?" Beca sensed her girlfriend's justified concern.

"It's fine. I'll explain everything when I see you."

"Okay Beca, I'll see you in a bit," Chloe answered.

"See you. Everything will be alright babe." Chloe smiled at Beca's use of the pet name. Even when she was worried out of her mind, Beca knew how to make her feel better. But she was so caught up in her worrying, she failed to notice the slight crack in Beca's voice.

* * *

Chloe quickly ate her sandwich and went to go throw on a tank top and shorts before Beca got to her apartment. She didn't know how long of a wait she had, so the redhead started to straighten up her apartment a bit. Beca had never actually been inside the singer's living space, only seeing the outside of the building.

Before long, Chloe heard a soft knock at her door. Looking through the peephole before opening it, she saw the tiny brunette standing outside her door. Unlocking the door, she smiled at the sight of her girlfriend. "Hey, Becs." Beca returned the redhead's smile.

"Hey Chlo, can I come in?" Chloe nodded and stepped aside to allow Beca inside. Shutting the door, Chloe turned around to see Beca looking around the apartment.

"Nice place you have. It's very.. you." Chloe blushed a little bit.

"Beca.. I.." Beca cut her girlfriend off.

"Wait a second Chloe. I know you want to talk, but can I go first?" Chloe nodded and gestured to the sofa. Beca sat down, beckoning Chloe to come sit by her. The redhead sat her butt on the couch next to Beca and waited.

"So, I'm guessing you found out about what the media is saying, right?" Chloe nodded her head in acknowledgment. Beca took a deep breath. "I feel like this is my fault. I was the one who came to your performance and convinced you to stay longer last night.." Chloe took hold of one of Beca's hands that were sitting in her lap.

"Hey, there's nothing to feel guilty about. Becs, I wanted you there. If this was the consequence, then so be it." Beca glanced over at Chloe.

"I had to see the producers this morning," Beca said suddenly. Chloe's breath hitched. She hadn't expected that she hoped that Beca wasn't in trouble.

"What did they say?" Chloe asked cautiously.

"They wanted to question me about the news stories. That's why I didn't call you earlier, or even pick up when you did, I was in that meeting."

"For two hours?" Chloe couldn't believe that would take that long. But Beca nodded.

"They had a lot to go over with me. They had to amend my contract." Chloe, sensing her girlfriend's nervousness, ran her hand down the brunette's cheek. This gave Beca the nerve to continue. "Since there are no explicit pictures of us doing anything, they could only question me and were forced to take my word for it." Beca shook her head. "I had to tell them that nothing was going on between us Chlo. That you were nothing but my mentee. They asked me why I was at Insanity last night and I told them that you had asked me for help, and being a good mentor, I did. I had gone to see how my help had paid off. Then they wanted to know why we were dancing together and spending time together. I just said that I was trying to create a trusting relationship between us. I don't think they believed me if the addendum in my contract has anything to say about it."

"What does it say?" Chloe hesitantly asked. Beca hung her head.

"That if we're found out doing anything, they'll terminate my contract from _The Voice,_ and they'll kick you off. And that they'll release details about why we had to be let go. They don't want a scandal to negatively influence the ratings. And I guess they'll drag us both through the mud to make sure it doesn't happen."

"That doesn't sound _too_ horrible.." Chloe started.

"Remember though that NBC produces the show. They can make life very difficult for you Chloe. And for me. If they want to, they could influence jobs you'll get in the future."

"Oh," Chloe said. "So what do we do?" Beca looked over at Chloe.

"You're going to hate this, and trust me, I do too. But we can't do anything together at all until the show is over. And we'd have to take it slow after the show is over." Chloe's heart broke a little bit.

"But.. Becs.."

"I mean it Chlo. I could care less about my career, but I told you. I won't be responsible for wrecking yours. I'm not worth that." Chloe's emotions flared slightly.

"Beca Mitchell! Don't you dare say that. You are worth it." Chloe cupped Beca's face in her hands. "If I had to choose between my job in music and you, I'd always pick you." A tear ran down Beca's face and Chloe went to wipe it off her face with her thumb.

"Chlo.. It would kill me to do that to you. You're so talented, you deserve every chance to become the next top artist. It wouldn't be forever. Just until the show is over. Once it is, we could start hanging out as friends, then develop a relationship."

"Why would we have to wait so long after the show?"

"So it's a more realistic timeline. If we jump into a relationship right after the show is over, everyone, including the producers, will know that this has been going on a lot longer than it was supposed to. Especially with the rumors floating around already." Chloe cursed her girlfriend for making sense.

"I hate this," Chloe said again. "I don't know what to do with myself without you." Chloe realistically knew this wasn't really a breakup in the sense that they didn't like each other anymore, but it still felt that way.

"I.." Beca stopped, thinking about what she wanted to say. She knew what she wanted to say, but was debating with herself if it was too soon. Deciding to take the plunge, she started talking, grabbing Chloe's hands, intertwining her fingers with the redhead's.

"Chlo.." She started into the electric blue pools that were peering back at her. "You know, I'm not usually a cheesy, romantic person, but you always bring it out of me. I hate you for that sometimes." Chloe laughed, Beca along with her. "But from the first time I saw you at Blinds, I knew you were special. You were and are a beautiful person. Not just looks, but that is a bonus." Beca winked. The redhead blushed a deep shade of red.

"But you have a beautiful soul. You're an amazing person. And you have the patience and perseverance to put up with me. There's something amazing about that in and of itself. Ever since we starting spending time together, I've felt myself.. developing feelings that I've never felt for anyone before." Beca huffed, trying to stop being wordy and just force the words out.

"I guess, this whole exposure thing, and the addition to my contract has accelerated my feelings. Or maybe I always felt this way for you, but the real possibility of losing you makes me want to voice them." Chloe cut the DJ off.

"You'll never lose me Beca." The brunette laughed, a couple of emotional tears dripping from her eyes.

"You can't know that Chlo. Who's to say that we did sneak around and get caught and your career was in the tank. If I were you, I'd feel so resentful of me. I couldn't stand that Chlo. That would hurt more than anything. To have you hate me" The redhead unwrapped her hand from Beca's to run her fingers down the DJ's soft skin.

"Beca, you have to believe me, trust me, that I would never do that to you." Beca leaned into Chloe's touch.

"You can't promise me that. Everyone leaves eventually." Chloe's heart broke a little bit at Beca's admission. She untangled her hands from Beca's, and wrapped both her arms tightly around Beca, pulling her impossibly close. The DJ snuggled into Chloe's hair, sniffling a little bit, trying very hard not to cry.

Trying to comfort and reassure the brunette, Chloe said the only words that came to her mind. "Becs, I physically can't leave you. You mean the world to me. I can't see my life without you. You have my heart. I love you so much." Beca pulled back immediately and looked wide eyed at Chloe. The redhead felt self-conscious with Beca's staring, feeling that she had gone too far. "I mean.. I don't expect you to say it back, but I just wanted you to know.." Chloe trailed off.

Silently, Beca took one of Chloe's hands and started tracing the palm lines. "I never thought.. That I could be so attached to another person. And you know, it scared me at first. I don't do emotions or feelings, but when I'm with you, it's like I'm a whole different person. It's cheesy as hell, but I can't help it. I'm not the best with words, but there is one thing I am good at." Beca looked up into Chloe's eyes. She took a deep breath.

**Heart beats fast  
** **Colors and promises  
** **How to be brave?  
** **How can I love when I'm afraid to fall?  
** **But watching you stand alone,  
** **All of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow.**

**One step closer**

Music was the biggest way Beca could let her feelings go. She desperately wanted to just say the words, but it was like her mind was keeping her from explicitly saying it. So she said it in the only way she could think of at the current moment.

**I have died everyday waiting for you  
** **Darling, don't be afraid I have loved you  
** **For a thousand years  
** **I'll love you for a thousand more**

Chloe's eyes glistened with tears as she listened to Beca's alto voice. She knew what Beca was trying to say to her. And her heart leaped at the prospect. The conversation had started out pretty terribly, but it was on track to being one of the most meaningful in Chloe's life.

**Time stands still  
** **Beauty in all she is  
** **I will be brave  
** **I will not let anything take away  
** **What's standing in front of me  
** **Every breath  
** **Every hour has come to this**

**One step closer**

Beca noticed the salty tears dripping down Chloe's face, and without breaking eye contact, she reached up to gently wipe them off the crying redhead's cheek. Chloe smiled at the contact, it made her skin tingle.

**I have died everyday waiting for you  
** **Darling, don't be afraid I have loved you  
** **For a thousand years  
** **I'll love you for a thousand more**

**And all along I believed I would find you  
** **Time has brought your heart to me  
** **I have loved you for a thousand years  
** **I'll love you for a thousand more**

**One step closer  
** **One step closer**

At the end of the verse, Beca leaned in towards Chloe, her voice becoming impossibly quiet. Chloe could hardly make out what Beca said.

"Chlo.. I.." Beca trailed off, frustration with herself apparent to Chloe. She placed a finger over Beca's lips.

"Don't worry Becs. I know." She whispered. The redhead rested her forehead against Beca's, her eyes drifting shut, allowing herself to forget about all the media and real life problems standing between the two of them. Only thinking about the beautiful brunette DJ sitting in front of her. She felt Beca's head move against hers and suddenly there was a pair of lips right in front of hers.

Leaning in to close the gap, the two women shared a kiss. It was like all the others, and yet this was different. Maybe it was the gravity of their situation, maybe it was the emotional high they were on from admitting their love for each other, or maybe it was a combination of all those things and more. But whatever it was, it shot a warm, content feeling through Chloe's body, like someone had just pulled her in for the tightest hug possible.

Her hand creeping up Beca's neck, Chloe tried to pull the DJ closer to her. Their lips melded even more into each other as they let their passions for each other go.

Breaking apart, Chloe stared at Beca through heavily lidded eyes. "Wow." Beca nodded in agreement.

"Becs.. I know we're in an impossible position, but I can't just let you go. I can't just ignore my feelings, or yours. Whatever happens to us, we're in this together." Beca swallowed and slowly nodded her head. It was a risk, but Beca knew that the redhead was worth it. She was worth everything to Beca. She wasn't going to run from this one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that this chapter didn't give anyone whiplash. I feel like some of the emotional transitions could have gone better, and that some of this might be a twinge unrealistic. But.. I did my best. Forgive me. Sometimes I forget that I kind of know faucets of Beca's past and personality in the story that isn't exactly canon, which sometimes drives her emotional reactions to things.
> 
> I'm also not the most accomplished at writing angst, so there's that too. I have this need to write fluff and cute. Sometimes it's hard to go against that, so an angst based chapter ends up being cute. But we're getting there. Slowly but surely. Writing skill is always something that's a work in progress. I love that people generally like my writing style, but I feel like I have a lot to improve upon. I often judge myself much harsher than others judge me.
> 
> Anyways, I think next chapter we'll actually go to Live Shows. Maybe. Hopefully. We'll see. No promises. I had this chapter stewing around in my mind, and wanted to write it down before I forgot it. So therefore, quick update.


	19. Live Shows: Top 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song(s) Used: Brighter - Against The Current

Chloe spent the remainder of her weekend in her apartment. She dare not brave the outside world for fear of being swarmed by the paparazzi. It was a new experience for her. She had never been a big name before _The Voice._ And after she became popular on the show, she had a few reporters follow her around, but it was nothing compared to now. The redhead had occasionally looked out her window and took notice of multiple reporters camping outside her building. How Beca had gotten into her apartment with minimal difficulties was beyond her.

And speaking of the DJ, after their little moment, the two had talked at length about what they were going to do. They had both agreed to lay low for the rest of the show, but they weren't going to let the reporters or the producers keep them from spending time with each other. They would go about their lives they had been. They would just be a little more careful about where they were together in public. Beca's recording studio was one thing, but seeing both women at a club together was a whole other issue.

Being confined to her apartment for the weekend had given Chloe ample amounts of work on her song for the first Live Show. What with all the excitement and work that went into performing at Insanity, Chloe didn't have a huge amount of time to get everything in order. Sure, she had picked out a song and worked on it a little bit with Beca, but it was nowhere near completed. Therefore the singer had spent her entire weekend, sat in front of her laptop, trying to finish up her arrangement.

As she worked, her mind sometimes wandered over to her talk with Beca. The two had a real heart to heart talk about their feelings. Beca may not have said those three little words outright, but she said them in her own way. And to Chloe, that meant the world. Even in the wake of all their relationship drama with the press and the upcoming stress of _The Voice_ , Chloe had never been happier.

One of the things the talk with Beca had done for her was assure her that this was all temporary. All the media coverage, all the pressure, everything, it would all dissipate with time. It was the way of the industry. Beca and Chloe's rumored relationship would only be headline news until the next big story came up. Then their time in the eye of the press would be old news. Chloe was very much looking forward to when that happened. But for now, she and Beca had to be cautious.

Although Chloe wasn't only doing that for herself if she was completely honest. As much as Beca said she didn't care about her career, just like Beca's feelings about ruining Chloe's upcoming career, the redhead couldn't do that to the DJ. As much as Chloe had meant her words about Beca trusting her to never hate her, she couldn't help but see some truth in the brunette's words. If Chloe were to mess up Beca's career, she would never forgive herself. She couldn't imagine Beca just being okay with her career being over just because she had decided to try a relationship with the exuberant redhead.

So for both their sakes, they decided to lay low. It was just better for everyone involved.

* * *

Monday rolled around and Chloe was feeling her nerves kick in. It was going to be the first time she had showed her face in public since the story about her and Beca broke. And to top it off, it was also the night of Live Shows. So, instead of just having to have the LA press, she would be in the eye of the entire country. No pressure though right?

When she arrived on set, she tried to sneak in as silently as possible. But she should have known that wouldn't be possible. As soon as she had stepped foot on set, all the contestants present had stopped to take a glance at her. She could feel all the eyes. Some people tried to be subtle, but others just straight out stared. Chloe quickly looked at the floor to avoid the looks and hurried away.

Not really knowing her destination, she ended up running into Stacie. Quite literally in fact. She wasn't really watching where she was going, so she was very unprepared to collide with another very solid body.

"Oh, hey Chlo." Stacie just smiled at her friend. "So.. you and Beca got caught eh?" Chloe blushed. In the chaos of things, she had actually forgotten that Stacie knew about their little romance.

"Right to the point I see. I mean.. I guess? There are no confirmations. Only rumors, so there's that I suppose." Chloe shrugged her shoulders. Stacie looked at the redhead questioningly.

"So you two aren't.. you know.. going to come clean?" Chloe furiously shook her head.

"No. Definitely not. We can't." Stacie raised an eyebrow but didn't question it. Instead, she just laid a hand on Chloe's arm.

"Hey, I'm sorry. This kind of situation sucks. Not that I would have first-hand experience, but I can imagine. But just know I support you, with whatever. And I'll be here to talk if you need to." Chloe looked gratefully at Stacie.

"Thanks, Stace. That really means a lot."

"That's what friends are for! But anyways, I need to go prepare for Shows tonight. Good luck out there! I'm sure you'll do great." Stacie smiled before walking off. Chloe watched Stacie walk away before going to follow the brunette's lead to prepare for that night.

* * *

Beca had arrived fairly early on set that morning. While she wasn't sure if she was going to have a whole lot to do, she figured might as well lounge about on set in case someone did need her, instead just lounge around back at her apartment with nothing to do. There were only a few other contestants there when Beca got there and she was also the first coach on set.

The DJ was going to try to keep to herself for the most part. That's what she did best when her personal life took the spotlight. Just keep away from the paparazzi as much as possible and they'll eventually go off in search of someone else. Of course, now Beca had Chloe to think about as well. She couldn't just leave the redhead to fend for herself against the media. That was just cruel. She just had to shield herself and Chloe from the press long enough for another superstar to slip up. Then they would be yesterday's news. It probably wouldn't take long. There were a number of people in the business that just couldn't go longer than a week without making headlines of some sort.

Beca had decided to sit in one of the set break rooms with her laptop and a set of headphones covering her ears for most of the morning. And for most of the morning, she wasn't disturbed. Amazing what a set of on-ear headphones would do to make people leave you alone. However, it wasn't destined to last.

The feeling of a body collapsing on the couch next to her made the DJ glance over. She almost groaned when she saw a certain blonde sat beside her. Knowing that Aubrey wouldn't let her ignore whatever it was she wanted to talk about, Beca removed one of the cups from her right ear, to signify that she was listening.

"Hey, Beca." She started simply, waiting for a response. Any response.

"Hey." The DJ wasn't really in the mood for small talk. Aubrey just sighed.

"I'm sorry you know, about.. you know." Beca grimaced but nodded her head. The situation sucked, she knew that. She didn't want Aubrey's pity.

"You should know better than anyone that I don't need or want your sympathy. It's not necessary. It sucks, yeah. But shit happens." Beca shrugged.

"I do know that, but it doesn't stop me from giving it anyways. I know you and Chloe are close. And I figured you're still struggling with the idea of being at least somewhat friends with me again. But you do know that.." Beca stopped Aubrey.

"That's not what I'm struggling with Aubrey. Fact of the matter is, yes, I do want us to be friends again." Aubrey's eye lit up at the possibility of Beca wanting to be friends. "But I'm struggling with the trust thing. I've got issues, you know that. I gave you my trust once, and however intentional or unintentional it was, you broke that. I'm struggling with the idea of giving it a second time. I've never done that. Ever. You've got to understand, it's hard. To go against something that you've always done." Aubrey slowly nodded.

"And it would be unfair of me to immediately ask for your trust back. I know that. And I wouldn't do that. But I do want you to know that if you need someone to lean on, you have my shoulder. If it's necessary." Aubrey knew that it would be Beca's last resort, to rely on another person. But she figured she might as well offer.

"I appreciate that Aubrey. Really. I don't think it's necessary, but it's appreciated." Beca simply said. Sensing that the conversation was over, Aubrey changed the subject.

"So, are you looking forward to tonight? Going to be a tough night for everyone." Beca nodded.

"I'm mostly excited to see how everyone does. It's been a great experience to see everyone grow so much, even people from other teams. You seem to be putting a lot of stock into Jesse." Beca questioned, with a smirk on her face. Aubrey just laughed.

"Yeah, perhaps. Although I'm not putting as much stock into him as you are into Chloe." The blonde shot back.

"Touche." The two looked at each other and laughed together. "You know, we haven't done this in years. You know, have a conversation that didn't end in us yelling at each other." Aubrey considered Beca's words.

"You're right. It feels good." Beca smiled at her once best friend and nodded.

"Yeah, it does." It was a small step, but it was still one step closer to repairing her friendship with Aubrey.

* * *

Chloe was on stage with all the other contestants as Carson announced the show. Since from here on out, the show was almost a free for all, they wouldn't be going in order of teams anymore. Instead, they had all been assigned a slot. Chloe, for better or for worse would be going third. She was glad to not be going first, but still. It was still nerve-wracking. The redhead was trying to do a good job at hiding it, and the lights of the set were helping with that. Her slightly red face and sweaty palms were associated with the heat of the set, not her own emotions.

As Carson announced who would be going first, the rest of the contestants went backstage of wait for their turn. Stacie would be going sixth, so the brunette had a little longer to wait than Chloe. The two spent most of the time waiting for Chloe's slot, talking.

"So, how has it been going with you?" Chloe questioned.

"Great! You know, I never really knew how much I needed to improve before working with Adam. Obviously, I knew I had weaknesses, but acknowledging them and working on them has been a really gratifying experience. You?"

"A lot of the same really. Although it's cool that Beca's been teaching me to arrange all my own songs, even starting to write my own stuff. Long work in progress, though." Stacie got a mischievous look in her eye.

"That all she been teaching you?" Chloe's jaw dropped and she went to hit the tall brunette on the shoulder.

"Wow, Stacie. Is that all you think about?" Stacie just shrugged innocently.

"Hey, it's who I am." Chloe chuckled and shook her head.

Before the two knew it, Chloe was up. She was nervously playing with the microphone in her hand. This would be her first appearance on _The Voice_ since the rumors. She was hoping that they wouldn't impact the audience perception of her, but only time would tell. "And now, representing Team Beca, singing _Brighter_ , Chloe Beale!" She could hear the sound of the crowd cheering for her.

The sound of the music started playing, and Chloe took a breath.

**It's a brand new day, it's never too late to start  
** **Can't live this life with an empty heart**

**Every single time that we lay it on the line  
** **It's a roller coaster ride for one  
** **When you know it's do or die and you're running out of time  
** **We gotta give it all we've got  
** **All we've got**

Chloe had decided to go with a softer song compared to some of her other performances. She thought it was probably appropriate, given the circumstances. Looking out at the audience, they were all in silence, watching the singer. She glanced down at the coaches. Adam and Blake were intently listening to her and watching her. Beca was smiling up at the redhead, and Aubrey was nodding in approval. All of this gave Chloe the courage to do her best.

**I want something more, a life worth fighting for  
** **I don't need a reason, to set the world on fire  
** **And burn a little bit brighter now  
** **There's something beautiful hiding in the shadows  
** **So set the world on fire  
** **Let's burn a little bit brighter now**

Chloe absolutely loved this song. It told the story of working towards a better life, taking risks to live the dream. It was a song that she believed every single person could relate to on some level. Her passion towards this song made her performance even more stunning to onlookers. The performance mainly showcased the redhead's vocals over her performance ability. However, wandering around the stage smiling, pointing out at the audience and waving her arm above her head occasionally seemed to do the trick.

**Sometimes we gotta risk it all to chase a dream  
** **It's a dive in head first, all-or-nothing kind of thing**

**Every single time that we lay it on the line  
** **It's a roller coaster ride for one  
** **When you know it's do or die and you're running out of time  
** **We gotta give it all we've got**

Up on stage, it was like all her problems melted away. Maybe it was Chloe's passion for music, or maybe it was just the performer's high. But whatever it was, standing on stage, looking out to the audience and coaches, it was like the previous weekend hadn't even happened. In the back of her mind, she knew that she would eventually have to go back to the real world, so she savored the feeling while she could.

**I want something more, a life worth fighting for  
** **I don't need a reason, to set the world on fire  
** **And burn a little bit brighter now  
** **There's something beautiful hiding in the shadows  
** **So set the world on fire  
** **Let's burn a little bit brighter now**

Beca stared up at her girlfriend in awe. She had obviously known Chloe's song choice, being her coach and all, but it always floored Beca to see the redhead up on stage. She was truly in her element. As she watched, she knew that they were making the right decision to lay low. It would be a travesty to not allow the world to experience the artist that was Chloe Beale.

**Can't stand by and wait like the others  
** **I'm front line and won't run for cover  
** **Head held high cause I'm burning brighter  
** **Yeah I'm burning brighter**

**Can't stand by and wait like the others  
** **I'm front line and won't run for cover  
** **Head held high cause I'm burning brighter**

Waving her hand over her head, Chloe noted that the crowd was swaying back and forth in sync with her raised arm. She smiled at that. It was one of the many reasons that she loved music. Here in this moment, it was unifying. Music had that effect on people. It brought people together.

**I want something more, a life worth fighting for  
** **I don't need a reason, to set the world on fire  
** **And burn a little bit brighter now  
** **There's something beautiful hiding in the shadows  
** **So set the world on fire**

**Lets burn a little bit brighter now  
** **It's a brand new day, it's never too late to start**

As she ended her song, her music slowly faded out as she took a bow. The crowd wildly cheered as she smiled and threw her fist, mic in hand, up in the air before exiting the stage. As usual, the first person to greet her was Stacie.

"That was great Chloe! Going to be hard to follow that up. Thanks a lot." Stacie complained.

"Whatever Conrad. I'm sure you'll do just fine."

"Here's hoping. I'd hate to make it this far only to be eliminated on the first live show." Chloe nodded.

"I'd feel sorry for those in the bottom three. Having to basically sing a song on the spot to get saved? That must suck." Stacie nodded in agreement.

"Well, hopefully, we'll never sink that low." Before the two knew it, it was Stacie's turn to go up. As she walked off, that left time for Chloe to reflect. Her performance, in her opinion at least, had gone great. However, she was slightly worried that the rumors about her and Beca might affect her standing. But she wouldn't let it get to her too much. She'd pull her hair out if she stressed to an extreme degree.

Although it would be overly egotistical to believe that she was a shoo-in to move on. She didn't want to be a second Bumper Allen. So as the night progressed and they moved into the results the following day, she kept an idea or two in the back of her mind what she would sing if she were to drop to the bottom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song choice. Brighter by Against the Current is literally one of my favorite song from them. I like most of them of course, but this one just stands out to me. Don't know if it's the tune, the lyrics or a combination of the two. I just know I love it.


	20. Top 12 Results

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song(s) Used: Hall of Fame - The Script

The following day, no one really did much practicing or much of anything really. Most of them were far too nervous for that evening when they would find out who would move into top ten. Two of them would be going home that night. Chloe, being the kind of person she was, spent most of the day looking over ideas for a song, should she have to save herself that night. She didn't put too much stock into that because she was fairly confident about the previous night.

But, it would be stupid to not at least have something prepared. That would be like not preparing a concession speech in a political race. It was just overly cocky and wouldn't do her any favors. Besides, if she prepared something now, if she were to fall to bottom three later on down the road when there were fewer people, she would at least be ready.

So for most of the day, Chloe was sat in front of her laptop, looking up music that suited her style and voice. The redhead figured that if she were at the lowest position, that she would definitely need to pick something that really showcased her talents and not take risks with that one like she had been doing up to this point.

Before long, Beca sought out of the redhead and seated herself on the couch next to Chloe. The singer pulled herself away from her laptop screen to look and smile at the DJ. "Hey, Becs."

"Hey, Chlo. How you holding up?" Chloe shrugged and gestured to her computer screen.

"I feel fine. I'm not really worried, but I figured that I'd at least have something ready for tonight." Beca looked at her girlfriend sympathetically.

"That's probably a good idea. Not that I think you'll have any trouble, but better to be safe than sorry right?" Chloe nodded.

"That's what I was thinking."

"Well, do you have any ideas of what you'd sing?" Chloe pointed at the song she was currently working on.

"I was thinking of this song. I mean, it might not be totally appropriate, but I figured I could definitely sing it well." Beca's head bobbed up and down in agreement.

"For sure. And don't worry about it not being 'appropriate.' I think that it's totally fine." Beca said reassuringly. Chloe smiled gratefully.

"Thanks, Becs. I'm hoping I'm not going to have to use it, though." Chloe's shoulders sagged a little bit. The more she spent time thinking about it, she felt more and more insecure. Bea carefully rested a hand on the redhead's upper back, rubbing it gently.

"Hey, Chlo. Don't panic. You'll be okay. I believe in you." Chloe's heart warmed. Despite the situation of everything, Beca still knew what Chloe needed to hear. It gave her peace of mind that everything would indeed be alright. Chloe sighed.

"I guess you're right. It's just so stressful. I was talking to Stacie last night and we were discussing the results. I suppose I just don't want to have made it this far, only to fail now." Chloe voiced her insecurities. The redhead wasn't usually one to share what was getting her down, preferring to hide behind her bubbly and energetic personality. However, around Beca, she felt completely open. And what was more was that she was comfortable with it.

It wasn't like she felt out of her element opening up to Beca. It just felt natural. And that made all the difference. Getting to truly be herself around the DJ was extremely refreshing. Chloe often used her overly excited personality as a barrier, but with Beca, she was excited because she wanted to be, not because she needed to hide.

"Chlo, you're an amazing singer. And if you were to get voted off right this minute, then it would be their loss. Not yours. Any producer in the industry would be lucky to work with you. I'm just lucky that you picked me." Beca winked. "You wouldn't be a failure just because America was stupid." Chloe laughed.

"Thanks, Becs." Beca nodded.

"Hey, what are coaches for?" Beca said, giving Chloe a crooked smile. Amazing what even a short conversation with the DJ did for Chloe's mood.

* * *

Chloe was bouncing back and forth on the balls of her feet as she waited to go on the air. To say she was nervous was an understatement. Beca had helped her calm down, but now when results were a few minutes away, she was back to being terrified.

"And the tonight, we have the results of last nights shows! It should be an exciting line up moving on to top ten. But that means that two of our contestants are going home." The crowd got louder as they waited in anticipation of who would be singing for their life that night. "But first, say hello to your coaches!. Adam Levine." Adam gave the audience a short salute.

"Aubrey Posen." The blond waved at the audience, smiling.

"Beca Mitchell." The DJ threw up a peace sign to the crowd.

"And Blake Shelton." Who nodded his head, grinning like the rest of the coaches. "Now tonight, we will be revealing who you, the viewers, have saved and are moving on to top ten. But.." He paused. "tonight we will also be revealing who were in the bottom three and you guys will have one last chance to save one of them. Using Twitter of course. More on that later." The crowd cheered in excitement.

"So without further ado, let's get down to it. Up here on stage, I have all of our artists. And I have in my hands, the names of the first two who are going to be safe and moving on to next week." The lights beamed down on Chloe and her fellow artists. As the music played, the crowd became even more hyped for what was to come. Everyone waited with bated breaths, waiting for Carson to continue.

"America saved.." The show host started, "From Team Adam.." once again, stopping for dramatic effect. Stacie waited in anticipation, hoping and praying that she'd be someone to move on. "Stacie Conrad!" The crowd erupted in screams, Stacie being a fan favorite. The tall brunette let out a huge sigh of relief and grinned widely. Chloe, who happened to be standing near her friend, let out an excited squeak and wrapped her arms tightly around Stacie's midsection. Stacie looked gratefully at Chloe before walking off the stage to stand on the sides, watching who else would join her.

"And America also saved.." Pause. "From Team Aubrey.." Another pause. Chloe had a feeling it was going to be a long and stressful night with all these dramatic pauses. "Jesse Swanson!" The male in question pumped his fist in the air, letting out a happy holler. Aubrey clapped along with everyone else happy to see the artist move on. And Jesse went to join Stacie on the sides.

And the eliminations continued like that. As they moved forward, Chloe became more and more nervous as her name was continually skipped over. At this point, she wanted to just chew her nails off in fear. But she refrained, only sweating slightly.

Before they knew it, it was down the last four artists, with only one name remaining. And the redhead was still up on stage. This far into it, her stomach was in knots, fearing the worst. And at the same time, praising herself for preparing something to sing that night. "And the last person who is guaranteed to move on to next week is.." Chloe bit her lip in suspense, almost enough to draw blood. "From Team Beca.." The redhead clenched her fists.

"Donald Baker." Chloe's heart dropped into her stomach. She had managed to land a spot in the bottom three. From the side, she could just make out the look on Stacie's face. It was one of mostly disbelief. "That means, the rest of you up there are in danger of going home." Chloe looked to the left and right of her, seeing Benji and Jessica standing up on stage with her. Both of them also had similarly terrified but also disappointed looks on their faces. Very similar to what Chloe was certain was plastered on her face.

"And now, it's up to you America. You have one last chance to save one of these artists. Each of them is going to perform a song and afterward you will have the chance to save them via Twitter. Use the hashtag VoiceSave along with the artist you guys want to see move on to next week." It was about this time that Chloe was glad she had thought about what she would have theoretically sung. Because it looked like she was going to have to step up and give it her all.

"Beca, any thoughts? You have two contestants up here." Beca's lip puffed up into a grimace. She blinked once. Twice, before answering.

"Puts the odds in favor of someone from my team moving on to next week then doesn't it? Two-thirds the chance." Beca joked, although internally she was also a little shocked that Chloe hadn't been saved earlier. And now the redhead, who was stressing earlier, had to perform in order to move on.

"Fair point. Aubrey, any comments from you? Jessica is on your team after all." Aubrey looked over at Beca then back up at Carson.

"I'm confident that the viewers will pick the best singer." She said simply. Carson nodded.

"Well, without further ado, let's move into Instant Saves. Chloe, you'll be up first, after the commercial break." The redhead wanted to faint. She was the type of person who hated to go first, setting the bar wasn't her cup of tea. But there wasn't much she could do.

As soon as the show cut to commercial, it was a scramble to make sure everything was ready. Benji and Jessica both wished Chloe the best of luck, which the redhead also returned the sentiment to her fellow artists. Some of the crew scuffled around, making sure Chloe's song choice was ready to go.

The redhead was handed a microphone. Absentmindedly grabbing it, she didn't pay attention to who gave it to her until a hand was resting on her shoulder. She looked up to see Beca standing next to her, a small smile on her lips.

"You'll be fine Chloe. America will see how great you are. There's no way in hell that you won't be on the show next week." Chloe shrugged her shoulders.

"At this point, I'm not even sure what to believe anymore. You know?" Beca gave the redhead a sympathetic look.

"Then believe in yourself. Go out there and do this for you. Don't perform for anyone else. Not the viewers, not for me, but for you. That's what music is all about, isn't it? Sure, you share your voice with your listeners, but would you really want to do it if you didn't love doing this every day?" Chloe shook her head. "Just remember Chloe, this is for you, and only you." Chloe gave her girlfriend a small smile.

"Thanks, Becs." She was still too nervous to really say much, but Beca understood. She just squeezed the redhead's shoulder and ran off to her chair. Chloe was then immediately hurried to center stage, needing to be in place for when the show went back on the air. Beca gave her a small thumbs up and Chloe giggled a little bit. She appreciated Beca's belief in her, and it was one of the few things that were keeping her from breaking down.

Chloe got the signal that they were about to go back on. She took a breath and waited. "Welcome back America." Carson started. "It's time to save one of the three artists in danger of going home. Remember, use the hashtag VoiceSaves along with the artist's name you want to move on to next week. And now, singing _Hall of Fame_ , from Team Beca.. Chloe Beale!" The crowd cheered as the beginning piano part echoed throughout the studio.

**Yeah, you could be the greatest  
** **You can be the best  
** **You can be the king kong banging on your chest**

**You could beat the world  
** **You could beat the war  
** **You could talk to God, go banging on his door**

As this was a very on the spot performance, the only things Chloe had available to her was her body and the microphone. She tried to throw herself back to when she was working with Beca on her performance skills. She and the DJ had briefly talked about performances where you have very few resources to use. This was really going to be a focus on Chloe's soprano vocals and her raw performance talent.

**You can throw your hands up  
** **You can beat the clock  
** **You can move a mountain  
** **You can break rocks**

**You can be a master  
** **Don't wait for luck  
** **Dedicate yourself and you can find yourself**

Chloe was trying to pull her head out of performing for people and take Beca's advice of performing for herself. This was her dream, being a music artist. This thought gave the redhead the fuel to keep going. That was what motivated her. She wasn't about to let anything get in the way of her dreams. She was the type of person to chase after what she wanted.

**Standing in the hall of fame  
** **And the world's gonna know your name  
** **Cause you burn with the brightest flame  
** **And the world's gonna know your name  
** **And you'll be on the walls of the hall of fame**

Chloe threw her whole being into the chorus. She felt that this song personified what her ultimate goal was. And because of that, she felt connected to the emotions of this song. The audience was jumping and fist pumping to the redhead's vocals. And the singer in question was dancing on stage right along with them.

**You could go the distance  
** **You could run the mile  
** **You could walk straight through hell with a smile**

**You could be the hero  
** **You could get the gold  
** **Breaking all the records they thought could never be broke**

The song was had a little more of a rap vibe than Chloe was used to, so she used her talent for rearranging music to turn it into more of a lyrical piece. It still retained the flow of what people loved about the original, but as a cover, she put her own spin into it. Chloe still had never gotten the hang of rapping, and figured she probably never would. But that was fine by her. She liked her own style.

**Do it for your people  
** **Do it for your pride  
** **Never gonna know if you never even try**

**Do it for your country  
** **Do it for your name  
** **Cause there's gonna be a day  
** **When you're…**

Beca was smiling widely at her girlfriend up on stage. When she had told Chloe to believe in herself, she had hoped that her words stuck. But seeing and knowing that they did tug at the DJ's heartstrings. She had never been good with that kind of thing, encouraging and motivating other people. She tended to resort to sarcasm and such, so this was a new feeling for her. But Beca figured if this was what it felt like, she might try to more often.

**Standing in the hall of fame  
** **And the world's gonna know your name  
** **Cause you burn with the brightest flame  
** **And the world's gonna know your name  
** **And you'll be on the walls of the hall of fame**

**Be a champion  
** **Be a champion  
** **Be a champion  
** **Be a champion  
** **On the walls of the hall of fame**

At this point, Chloe was completely lost in the performance high. The adrenaline pumping through her veins spurred her forward. And anyone looking at her in this moment could tell she was a natural. It was like she was meant to occupy the stage. And to Chloe, she was most comfortable when she was singing, alone or in front of others. It didn't matter.

**Be students, Be teachers  
** **Be politicians, Be preachers**

**Be believers, Be leaders  
** **Be astronauts, Be champions  
** **Be true seekers**

**Be students, Be teachers  
** **Be politicians, Be preachers**

**Be believers, Be leaders  
** **Be astronauts, Be champions**

This portion of the song was the most heavily altered. Surprisingly Chloe made it work. Beca couldn't help but feel a surge of pride. Chloe had come a long way since the two had first met. And what was more was the Beca had come almost as far. Maybe not in terms of her music, but definitely in her personal life.

**Standing in the hall of fame  
** **And the world's gonna know your name  
** **Cause you burn with the brightest flame  
** **And the world's gonna know your name  
** **And you'll be on the walls of the hall of fame**

And in that final chorus Chloe tried to put her heart into it, convey to the audience why she deserved to stay. That at the end of the day, she was an amazing artist. It wasn't all about the relationship drama and rumors between her and Beca. She was still there because she was a great artist. And nothing had changed that.

**Yeah, you could be the greatest  
** **You can be the best  
** **You can be the king kong banging on your chest**

**You could beat the world  
** **You could beat the war  
** **You could talk to God, go banging on his door**

**You can throw your hands up  
** **You can beat the clock  
** **You can move a mountain  
** **You can break rocks**

**You can be a master  
** **Don't wait for luck  
** **Dedicate yourself and you can find yourself  
** **Standing in the hall of fame**

And as Chloe wound down her performance, she looked out into the audience to see everyone waving their arms back and forth to her voice. She shot out an award winning smile to the audience before thrusting her arm in the air, microphone in hand as the lights dimmed, leaving her in the dark. The crowd cheered and clapped. As she walked off stage, Chloe felt good. Better than she had. Now it was all up to the viewers. She wanted more than anything to move on, but right now, that wasn't up to her. She did all she could. Now all she could do was wait.

* * *

Benji and Jessica performed their pieces after Chloe. The redhead had to hand it to both of them. They were both deceptively talented. Benji, in person, was extremely timid and shy. And Chloe had to admit a little weird, although it was endearing on him. But on stage, it was like he was an entirely different person. He sang with the confidence of a seasoned artist.

And Jessica was a friendly but fairly quiet girl. From what Chloe understood, the singer had gotten her start in a capella, much like Beca and Aubrey. However, she had always been on backup vocals. Although Chloe couldn't really understand why. She had a great voice. Perhaps it was because the blonde wasn't a very outgoing performer. She did what she had to, but not much more than that.

At the end of the show, all three of them gathered out on stage. Benji was in the middle and he had an arm wrapped around each of the girl's shoulders; Chloe on the left and Jessica on the right. They awaited the results of the instant save.

"The votes are in ladies and gentlemen. It was a very close race, up until the very end. But we now have the results of who will be moving on to the top ten." Chloe could feel Benji's grip tighten slightly. She reached up to lay a hand on his, patting it gently.

"And now, America has chosen.." Carson paused for a minute. Chloe swore that she was completely finished with these dramatic pauses. They were frustrating as all get out. She just wanted him to spit it out.

"Chloe Beale! You'll be moving on into next week!" Chloe squealed a little bit, covering her mouth with her hand in relief. She wrapped her arms around both Jessica and Benji, pulling them into a sympathetic hug. Pulling back, she gave both of them a sad smile. Jessica and Benji both looked disappointed, but never the less gave Chloe a grin.

"Knock em' dead Red," Benji said over the roar of the crowd. Chloe nodded once. This was a humbling experience. It was nerve wracking to go through this. And she vowed to never have to do that again. As the show cut, Chloe glanced over at Beca who was giving her a proud look and quickly waved, followed by two thumbs up. Chloe's lips turned upward into a grateful smile. She would never have been able to get through any of this without the DJ. Sometimes she wondered if Beca realized how important she was in Chloe's life. And if she didn't, Chloe vowed to show her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God, the writer's block for this chapter was real. I struggled a lot trying to write it. I think it was the hardest chapter to write thus far. I did a little research, as in actually skimming an episode of The Voice to come up with a semi-believable chapter. And watching through it, I realize that I'm skipping a ton of things that happen on the show. But to be honest, I don't really think celebrity performances or team performances are that important to write in. And no one's complained, so I'll take that as it's fine.
> 
> As for the song, I love it. I really wanted to have Chloe do it, but I had to think it over a lot. It has this rap beat that I wasn't sure if Chloe could successfully pull off. I looked up a couple of covers by Maria Z and the a capella version by TCNJ Treblemakers on YouTube. And while neither of them are how I actually imagine her singing it; a combination of the two styles and flows is about as close as I could come to finding.
> 
> I really hope I conveyed the emotions of this chapter correctly. I imagine Chloe to be the kind of person to buckle under too much pressure and/or stress. Like in PP2, she becomes obsessed with the Bellas because the prospects of the outside world becomes too much for her until the end when she finally graduates (sorry for that spoiler if you haven't seen PP2..)


	21. Live Shows: Top 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song(s) Used: I Won't Give Up - Jason Mraz

Following the result night, Chloe threw herself into her music. Falling to the bottom three had jarred her. It wasn't something she was expecting. And while she was at least somewhat prepared, it still didn't sit well with her. So that Wednesday the redhead spent the entire day, alone in a studio, working her tail off to make sure her next performance was perfect.

It was about midday when she heard a soft knock on the doorframe. She looked up to see Beca standing there, offering Chloe a coffee and a small smile. Acknowledging the brunette, Chloe smiled back at Beca before going back to her computer. She missed the sad look in Beca's eyes, but the DJ just walked over to her girlfriend, closing the door behind her, setting the cup of coffee next to her before taking a seat.

"Are you okay Chlo?" Beca asked. She was concerned about the redhead. It had only been a day and Chloe had all but ignored everything around her, preferring to focus on her music. And while Beca semi-understood why, she was still worried. It was apparent that the previous night had bothered Chloe, even though the redhead was still here.

"I'm fine," Chloe said absentmindedly. Beca just sighed, put a hand on Chloe's laptop and shut the lid. The redhead turned and glared at Beca, but the brunette stood her ground.

"You're not fine Chlo. Please, at least tell me what's wrong. I'm worried about you."

"I told you Beca, I'm fine. I just want to focus on my music, make it the best it can be." Chloe went to open her laptop again, before Beca placed a hand, gently, on top of the redhead's.

"I'm serious Chloe. I can tell there's something wrong. I know it has to do with last night. But please, talk to me. I want to help you.. I just don't know how." Beca admitted. She was more in tune with Chloe than she had been with any other human being, but that didn't meant she could read the singer's mind. She too needed help to know what she could do, and she couldn't help if Chloe wouldn't tell her what was wrong. The redhead just sighed and placed her face in her hands, elbows resting on her knees.

"I just.. I didn't know last night would affect me so much. Maybe I was being egotistical but I honestly never believed I could be in that position. I've always imagined myself moving on to the finals, even winning the show. But last night, really opened my eyes to the very real possibility of that not happening." Chloe was on the verge of tears but tried very hard not to let them fall.

Beca wrapped an arm around Chloe's shoulder, pulling the redhead closer to her, not caring that someone could walk into the studio at any minute and see them. The redhead's feelings and self esteem was far more important to Beca than getting caught. "You're right Chloe, it's possible. But it hasn't happened yet. And if the redhead that I'm dating is in there, she won't let it happen." Chloe looked up at Beca, then back down at her lap.

"You know, the thought had crossed my mind that the rumors about us had impacted the results. That someone people thought that because there was possibility that I was sleeping with you, that I didn't deserve to go on. That I shouldn't have even been there." Chloe admitted to her girlfriend. She didn't want to believe that had anything to do with it, because she didn't want Beca to think that any of this was the DJ's fault. Beca was one of the best things that happened to her throughout the show.

"Chlo, I won't bullshit you into saying that that might not have been a factor in some people's votes. But I will guarantee you that you belong here. I would have picked you regardless of us dating or not. In fact, most of my decisions happened before we were even dating. You're a better artist than a good amount of people already in the business. Even some artists I've worked with before." Beca reached out to touch Chloe's cheek, running her fingers down the redhead's face. Chloe's skin tingled at the contact. "You're a beautiful singer and an even more beautiful person. No one can ignore that. Ultimately, yeah you were at the bottom three, but at the end of the day, the audience saved _you._ They wanted you still here. That has to count for something? And like I said, the Chloe Beale I know wouldn't let this change anything."

Chloe lifted her head to look Beca in the eyes, losing herself in the dark blue of the DJ's eyes. The redhead drifted closer to Beca, before planting a kiss on the brunette's cheek. Even though it had been months since the first time Chloe's lips had had contact with Beca's cheek, the DJ's skin still tingled and burned like it was the very first time. "You're right Becs. I just.. don't want to have come all this way and gone through everything, only to come up short."

"Then don't let yourself fail. I know the kind of person you are Chloe. You're determined, I know you can do anything you set your mind to. And I believe in you. And I know that Aubrey does to. And I think your friend Stacie does as well. You've got friends Chloe. We all are rooting for you." Overcome with her emotions, Chloe threw her arms around Beca's neck, burying her face into the DJ's hair. Beca was a little unprepared for the sudden contact, so the force of Chloe barreling into her sent her reeling backwards into her chair, almost tipping it over. But once the brunette had recovered, she smiled and wrapped her arms around the redhead, returning the tight hug.

Chloe never wanted to let Beca go. The DJ was where she felt the happiest, where she felt at home. She hated that they couldn't truly be together until after the show, which wouldn't be for another few months. Chloe had auditioned for the show to boost her music career, but what she was going to come away this was much more important to her. She was going to walk away a winner regardless.

* * *

That weekend was another one spent in her apartment. Chloe rarely left her home, except to get to the studio, and occasionally to go shopping or something. But with the paparazzi on her tail, she kept off the streets as much as possible. They weren't following her and Beca around as much as they had the previous weekend, but there were always a few reporters camped outside her building who tried to get statements from her whenever she left or came back.

That was another thing she couldn't wait to be over. She hated all the press attention over her and Beca's 'alleged' relationship. She knew that if she was going to become a famous artist, she'd get the same treatment, but right now it was different. It was like they were rubbing it in her face, albeit unknowingly and unintentionally, that she couldn't be with Beca like she wanted to.

Sure, the two weren't broken up by any means. But they had both agreed to stick to very firm boundaries. Both to protect Beca from being fired as well as Chloe's reputation from being trashed. Neither woman was very happy about it, but knew it was necessary. The two did call and Skype each other on a regular basis however. They saw each other almost every day on set, and occasionally they did still meet at Beca's recording studio, but those meetings were few and far between now. Not only to avoid suspicion, but also because Chloe was hard at work on her next performances.

The redhead had taken Beca's words to heart and let up a little bit on the ferocity with which she was attacking her music. But she still spent more of her time alone with her laptop, readying herself. She wasn't going to let what happened to her the first week, happen again.

But at the current moment, she was taking a break. In fact, she was booting up her Skype client in order to talk to Beca for a while. The two enjoyed their Skype sessions, mainly because they could talk face to face, or at least as face to face as you could get through Skype, and not worry about getting interrupted or caught. As soon as she signed on, she got a video conference request from the DJ, which she immediately accepted. Chloe's smile brightened as she saw the brunette's face fill up her screen.

"Hey, babe." Beca waved at her girlfriend. Behind her, Chloe could make out what she thought was Beca's apartment. The redhead still had never been to or seen where the DJ lived. Something both of them hoped to remedy soon.

"Hi, Becs. How has your weekend been going so far?" The DJ just shrugged.

"Nothing all that special. Although I will admit I'd rather it be quiet like this than hectic like it was last weekend." Chloe nodded. She wholeheartedly agreed.

"For sure. I mean, spending time with you at the club was amazing. But the morning after, not so much." Beca gave Chloe a small, sad smile.

"We'll be able to do it again, I promise you. As soon as the show is over, I'll take you out to a club, just you and me." Chloe laughed.

"What about the whole 'we need to develop a friendship' thing?" Chloe inquired, knowing that Beca hadn't forgotten.

"What better way to get to know a person than to take them out drinking and dancing?" Both girls laughed.

"You are probably right about that Becs. Well, I'm looking forward to it."

"Good, because you should. Our first official date will be badass." Chloe giggled. Beca always had this tough, 'badass' exterior, but the producer was actually one of the sweetest people Chloe had ever met. Beca noticed Chloe quietly laughing at her, and glared. "What are you laughing at Beale?" This made the redhead laugh harder.

"You and badassery don't exactly seem like the combination of words I'd use." Beca just huffed.

"Whatever. I am badass!" She insisted. Chloe just shrugged her shoulders.

"Sure Becs, whatever you say." The two just stared at each other for a couple minutes before they both burst out laughing. The couple spent the next hour or so just enjoying being in each other's company, albeit over the computer. Not exactly ideal, but it was better than nothing.

"Hey Chlo, I gotta get going. I've got a few things I need to do. I'll talk to you Monday?" Chloe nodded in understanding.

"Sure Becs." The mention of Monday brought back the memory that performances were then. Beca sensed her girlfriend's shift in mood and guessed what it was about.

"Hey, Chlo. You'll be fine. It's just another performance."

"Yeah, you're right Becs. I'm just.. a little antsy." Beca's eyes visibly softened.

"And there's nothing wrong with that. But you're a talented artist. You'll get through this." Chloe nodded. Knowing that Beca had things to do, she wished her girlfriend goodbye.

"Bye Chlo. I'll see you Monday." And Beca ended the call. Chloe slumped back on her couch. She was apprehensive for Monday, but knew that the only thing she could do was practice and hope.

* * *

The weekend was over and Monday had rolled around. Chloe had arrived fairly early onset and sought out Stacie. It didn't take her too long to find the brunette. She was lounging on a couch, going over her music for the show that night.

"Hey, Stace." The girl in question looked up to see Chloe standing there. Stacie smiled and gestured for her to sit down, which the redhead did.

"Hey Chlo, you nervous for tonight?" The singer nodded her head furiously.

"Yeah, extremely. Last week was nerve-wracking. I don't know if I'm ready to do something like that again." Stacie had been shocked, along with most of the other contestants that Chloe had dropped that low. There had been a rumor floating around that the results might have been rigged by the producers, but there was no proof. She could understand Chloe's feelings.

"I'm sure you won't have to." Stacie believed that her friend wouldn't have to, but she couldn't deny that it was possible that it would. "There's no way that the viewers don't recognize a good singer when they hear one." Chloe looked gratefully at Stacie for her words of encouragement.

"Well, I guess we'll see tomorrow won't we?" Stacie nodded. "Anyways, how are you feeling?"

"Pretty good. I admit coming out on top last week might have boosted my ego a little bit. But I still have to bring my A game going into the rest of the show."

"Oh yeah, for sure. Well, I just wanted to say hi and chat for a bit. I'll leave you to your sheet music." Chloe gestured to the pages of music spread out all over, in front of the brunette. Stacie nodded before wishing Chloe good luck again.

The redhead got up and went to go find a sitting place to pop open her laptop and do some last minute preparing. She found a cozy little spot where she could be alone and most likely not be bothered. She pulled out her computer, booting it up and then opening up her track and music.

Looking over what she was going to sing, she was hoping it wasn't going to be too emotional and telling for her. But in her heart, she knew this is what she wanted to sing. Although it was at this moment when she kind of wished she could play guitar. Maybe when the show was over, she could get Beca to teach her. The brunette was pretty accomplished at that particular instrument.

Before she knew it, she was being ushered backstage to do sound checks and everything for the show that night. It was a tedious process, but obviously necessary. All in all it took a few hours for everything to be done, including sound checks, stage checks, makeup and hair, the entire works. But an hour or so before the show started, the redhead was all ready to go.

She was relaxing out in the hallway backstage when she felt a hand on hers. Assuming it was either Beca or Stacie, she turned around to greet them but was surprised to see Jesse standing behind her. She looked confusedly at him, "Hey Jesse. What's up?"

"Just wanted to say hi and wish you good luck tonight." Chloe was still wondering if there was some ulterior motive for him talking to her since the two hadn't really conversed much since their battle a few months back.

"Oh, thanks, Jesse. Good luck to you too." The redhead smiled at her fellow artist. "Nervous for tonight?" She asked. The male just shook his head.

"Not really. I'm not worried. We just got out there, do our best and hope that we don't get booted off, right?" Chloe wished she could have such a nonchalant attitude about the entire thing.

"I guess so?" She asked half a statement and half a question.

"Still a little rattled from last week?" He asked her knowingly. She sighed.

"Is it that obvious?"

"A little bit." The redhead just groaned. "That's not necessarily a bad thing though. I mean, it's motivation, isn't it?" The brunette male was right, her near failure last week had motivated her this week. There was something to be said for that.

"It sure is." Jesse could sense that Chloe didn't really want to chat so he gracefully excused himself, leaving the redhead with her own thoughts. Before she knew it, she and the rest of the contestants were being summoned to the stage for the show to start. Chloe caught a brief glimpse of Beca, who waved at her girlfriend, encouraging her with a wide grin.

And then they got the queue that the show was about to go on the air, so everyone got into their positions on stage, Carson standing in the middle. Chloe was so distracted during the entire speech that she didn't really catch a word that the show host had said. She was too busy looking out into the audience, who was watching and waiting to see what each of the artists would perform that week.

This week, they would be performing in order of rank, the person at the bottom would be going first. So much to Chloe's displeasure, she would be going first. The redhead hated going first. When Carson had finished the show opener, all the remaining contestants proceeded backstage while Chloe got into position on stage. It was somewhat of a risky move that she was going to take. She hadn't gone for the flash and awe factor in this performance. Although, she hadn't really done too much of that for the entire show.

Instead, she was going to be focusing on the lyrics and vocals of the song. The stage dimmed with only purple lighting strips and some white and blue backlighting, she stood, microphone in hand, waiting for the music to start. As the first guitar riff played in the background, the crowd whistled and clapped for her song choice.

**When I look into your eyes  
** **It's like watching the night sky  
** **Or a beautiful sunrise  
** **So much they hold**

**I won't give up on us  
** **Even if the skies get rough  
** **I'm giving you all my love  
** **I'm still looking up**

Even though this was mostly a love song, she thought it was appropriate for how she was feeling towards her life at the moment. She had cut the song slightly to make it shorter, but still retaining the emotions in it. As she stood on stage, she looked out into the audience to see the crowd's arms in the air swaying back and forth to the music. This unity was one of the things Chloe liked best about slow, more acoustic songs. It really showcased the togetherness that music could bring.

**'Cause even the stars they burn  
** **Some even fall to the earth  
** **We've got a lot to learn  
** **God knows we're worth it**

As Stacie was watching her friend from backstage, she reflected more and more on how good the redhead really was. Sometimes she wondered why no one had noticed the firecracker of a singer before. Even just standing on stage, blasting her vocals, she was a crowd pleaser. She was beginning to think there was some truth to the rumor. There was no way that the viewers didn't pick Chloe to move on.

**Our differences they do a lot to teach us how to use  
** **The tools and gifts we got, yeah, we got a lot at stake  
** **And in the end, you're still my friend at least we did intend  
** **For us to work we didn't break, we didn't burn  
** **I had to learn how to bend without the world caving in  
** **I had to learn what I've got, and what I'm not, and who I am**

As she sang the bridge, she picked up the movement and variation in her vocals. The lights brightened and twinkled around her. Going in to hit some of her high notes elicited cheers and applause from the audience. She could visibly see the coaches watching her. Adam was nodding his head in admiration of her voice. Beca and Aubrey were just intently staring at her, although she knew that the staring was both women's way of being sucked into the performance. And Blake had his eyes closed, hand on his chin, simply listening to her, trying to tune out the crowd.

**I won't give up on us  
** **God knows I'm tough enough  
** **We've got a lot to learn  
** **God knows we're worth it**

**I won't give up on us  
** **I'm still looking up**

Chloe ended her performance on a softer note. Bringing her performance down from the high energy of the bridge and beginning of the chorus, the lights dimmed, she held the mic tightly, bowing her head slightly, raising her free open hand into the air, slightly above the shoulder. As the music ended, the crowd burst into applause, the coaches along with them. Chloe smiled at the camera before scampering off stage, where she watched and waited.

* * *

The following night was the results of the top ten. Two more artists would be going home. Chloe swore that if she was in the bottom three again, she was going to cry. Beca had assured her that there was no way that the viewers would do that again, not after the stellar performance she had. But that didn't do much to alleviate the redhead's nerves. Only Carson reading off her name would do that.

And currently, that's what they were all waiting for. They had recapped the previous night and Carson held the red envelopes in his hand.

"And we're back!" The show host announced. "You all have voted and now it's time to reveal who will be moving into the top eight." The spotlights beamed down on the artists. Chloe was again standing next to Stacie. Both girls had spent most of the day with each other, trying to distract the other from what could potentially be either one's last night.

"America saved.." Pause. Chloe was sure by the end of the show she was going to strangle Carson. "From Team Beca.." Chloe's eyes bulged. It was between her or Donald. "Chloe Beale!" The crowd whooped and hollered as Chloe processed what just happened. She felt two arms wrap themselves around her, squealing. She realized that those arms belonged to Stacie and they were now pushing her towards the sidelines to wait for the rest of the artists moving on to join her.

Chloe wasn't going to lie, she was kind of in shock, trying to process. She had hoped that she would be moving on, but she never imagined that she had shot up to rank one. Was that even possible? She didn't know, and frankly, she didn't care. This was a giant weight off her chest.

"America has also saved.." Carson started, announcing the rank two artist. "From Team Adam.." Pause. "Stacie Conrad!" Chloe screamed for her friend, who was fist pumping and cheering for herself loudly. She almost ran over to join Chloe. The two shared another tight hug. They had made it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You didn't think I was going to make Chloe almost lose her hair all over again, did you? Surely not. I'm not that brutal on our favorite redhead. That would just be cruel. 
> 
> As for Chloe's performance. Mostly based off of Christina Grimmie's performance of the same song on The Voice (may she rest in peace). You can look it up on YouTube if you want. The cut version as well as the stage setup and general atmosphere of the performance is there. Obviously, Christina has a much lower voice than Chloe, but everything else is pretty accurate. This might be a cheesy song to pick, but hey. What about this story hasn't been cheesy as fuck?


	22. You're The Only One I Love

Eight people remained. Chloe and Stacie were among them. Both singers had celebrated together the night after the results. Chloe had foregone sneaking around with Beca to go out with the taller brunette. The producer had understood and even encouraged it.

"You're sure Becs? I mean, I can tell her that I changed my mind." Chloe said to Beca after the show. The DJ just shook her head.

"Nope. Go out and celebrate Chlo. You deserve it. We can do something together later this week." Chloe smiled gratefully at her girlfriend. While she loved to spend time with Beca, she had been gradually getting closer to Stacie, the two of them becoming almost as inseparable as Beca and Chloe were.

It helped that the redhead was able to confide in her friend about her relationship with Beca. Stacie had been really supportive since she had found out. Chloe was eternally grateful that she had a friend like Stacie. Chloe had always been popular in school, but she never really had any close friends.

Much like how she had Beca in that respect as well. She had girlfriends and boyfriends alike in high school and what little college she attended. But they were always just distractions and a little bit of fun. It was different with Beca, a good different. She really loved the tiny brunette.

The redhead spent the rest of the night at Insanity with Stacie. The club owners had been impressed with her performance, and consequently invited her to frequent the club as she wished. So to celebrate their victory, she drug Stacie out to the club.

"I still can't believe you have contacts at Insanity of all places," Stacie said, looking around the dance floor as the two were sitting at the bar having a more than a few drinks. The redhead just shrugged.

"Well, they liked how I sing." She replied simply. Stacie just laughed.

"Yeah them and the rest of America apparently. So, how does it feel to be the rank one artist on _The Voice_?" She asked her friend curiously. Chloe took a sip of her drink, contemplating her answer.

"Surreal I think. It's crazy to think that this time last year I was a starving artist who was barely making rent payments. And now I'm close to reaching my dream." Chloe had to admit, if someone had told her a year ago where she would be now, she would have laughed. But now that she had lived it, she couldn't imagine her life any other way. Whether she won or lost, she'd still have her friends and girlfriend.

"I feel you, girl," Stacie said, swirling her drink in the glass before knocking it back. "You and me both. Although I'm not coming away with a cute girlfriend." Chloe glared at Stacie as the brunette just giggled. The redhead swatted the taller girl on the shoulder. "Hey! I'm just saying." Stacie defended herself.

"Whatever Conrad. You're just jealous." Stacie scoffed.

"Jealous of you? Sorry Chlo, but tiny brunette DJs aren't my type." Stacie said with a shrug of the shoulders.

"Good, because she's mine," Chloe said without really thinking. Stacie raised an eyebrow.

"Getting possessive already are we?" Chloe looked a little sheepish. But the brunette just waved her off. "Hey, no worries. I get it. She's a catch. Gotta defend your territory and all that, right?" Chloe laughed but nodded her head.

Stacie, very suddenly, got to her feet, dragging Chloe up from her bar stool with her. "Come dance with me Chlo!" She exclaimed before pulling Chloe towards the dance floor. The redhead laughed but followed her friend to the already massive group of people congregated on the floor. The two girls were forced very close together, but both were buzzed enough not to really care.

Although, when Stacie got enough drinks in her, she got a little touchy feely. And Chloe wasn't too far behind. Their dance was going in the direction of having sex on the dancefloor. And while both girls knew that Chloe was taken, they were both too tipsy to care how it looked. Even drunk, the two were just friends to each other.

But it seemed that history was destined to repeat itself, as once again the redhead failed to notice the lone cameraman snapping pictures of her and her overly sexual friend.

* * *

Chloe woke the next morning with a pounding hangover. Shielding her eyes from the sun streaming through her window, she moaned in pain. Grabbing the nearest hoodie, she pulled it over her head, leaving the hood up as she wandered over to her kitchen to get herself a glass of water and an aspirin.

However before reaching that point, she noticed a body that had taken up residence on her couch. Trying to remember what had happened the previous night, she vaguely recalled the two had gone back to Chloe's apartment after their night at the club. The redhead's apartment was closer than Stacie's place and the brunette desperately needed to crash. So, of course, being the friend she was, she offered the other singer her couch.

When she reached the kitchen, she grabbed two glasses, filling them with water. Then grabbing the bottle of aspirin, she went over to set a glass and a couple of tablets on the table next to her sleeping friend before swallowing down her own pills.

'I love drinking, but hangovers are the worst.' Chloe thought to herself. Pulling out her phone to check her messages, she noticed that she had a number of missed texts from Beca. Looking at the time, it was about nine in the morning and Beca's texts were dated at coming in about eight the same morning.

"Morning babe, how was your night?"

"Chlo, are you alright?"

"Can we talk, soon?"

Reading through the last message, Chloe frowned. Looking over at Stacie before replying, she texted back.

"Morning babe. Sorry, I just woke up. Got up with a killer hangover. What did you want to talk about?" She sent off her text before getting up to go to the bathroom. After relieving herself, brushing her teeth and combing through her tangled red hair, she returned to see that Beca had texted her back and that the brunette on her couch had finally woken up.

"Morning Stace." The brunette in question looked up to see her friend, standing there in a hoodie and sweats. She giggled.

"Wow Chlo, is this what hungover you looks like?" She poked at the redhead who just stuck out her tongue and flipped the other girl off. Stacie looked offended.

"How rude." Chloe just laughed and shook her head before opening the message that awaited her.

"I.. Do you mind if I come over?" Chloe again frowned at the message. Her friend noticed the expression on her face.

"Something wrong Chlo?" The redhead looked up from her phone.

"I'm not sure. Becs wants to come over her to talk. I don't really know what about, but from the what she's phrased it, it sounds serious." Stacie's face softened a little bit before she drug herself up from the couch.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Tell her yes. I'll get out of your hair before she gets here so you two can have some privacy." Stacie wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. Chloe picked up one of the pillows resting on one of the chairs and threw it at the brunette. Stacie threw up her arms to block the incoming projectile.

"Hey now! Uncalled for!" Stacie exclaimed. Chloe just glared at her friend who held up her hands in surrender. "Okay okay, I'm going, I'm going. But just so you know, I'm stealing these clothes for now." She gestured to the shirt and pants that Chloe had lent her to sleep in. "I'll give them back later this week, cool?" Chloe nodded.

"Fine with me, just be sure you do. Those are my favorite sweats." Stacie smiled.

"Hey, I always return clothes I borrow. I'm going to go quickly wash up a little bit and I'll leave you be." Stacie headed for the bathroom as the redhead texted her girlfriend back.

"Yeah sure. What is this about Becs?" She slumped down onto the couch, waiting for a reply. She didn't have to wait long.

"I'll tell you where I get there. Ten minutes okay?" Chloe texted back an affirmative before yelling at Stacie to be out in five.

Instead, seven minutes later, Stacie wandered out of the bathroom. Chloe shoved the brunette's phone and purse into her arms, basically throwing her friend out the door. "I'll see you later Stace." The brunette just laughed at being booted from her friend's apartment but made her way down to the lobby to wait for her cab.

On her way out the door, she ran into a familiar DJ. "Oh hey, Beca! Here to see Chloe I'm guessing?" Stacie resisted in teasing the brunette, not knowing her as well as she knew Chloe. Beca just frowned in response.

"Hi, Stacie. Yeah, I am. What are you doing here?" Stacie thought she could detect a little apprehensiveness in the DJ's voice, but attributed it to the hangover she was currently experiencing.

"Oh, well when Chloe and I went out last night, we might have gotten slightly drunk, so our little friend decided to lend me use of her couch for the night." Stacie shrugged. It was normal enough to crash at a friend's place after getting drunk. She didn't think much of it.

"Ah, okay. Well, I'll see you later Stacie." Beca replied absentmindedly. Stacie noted Beca's distantness, but didn't have time to dwell on it as her cab pulled up. She waved at Beca before getting in to head back to her place.

* * *

There was a knock at the door, and Chloe forced herself up off the couch to open the door for her girlfriend. Looking at the DJ, Chloe could immediately tell something was off. It didn't look like Beca had gotten much sleep. "Hey Becs, come in." She opened the door wider to allow the tiny brunette inside.

Beca walked into the apartment, gathering the courage to ask what she was about the ask. "Is there something going on between you and Stacie?" She blurted out as soon as Chloe turned around. The redhead furrowed her brow.

"What? No! We're just friends, I thought you knew that. What's this about?" Beca produced an article clipping that Chloe hadn't noticed the DJ had in her possession, handing it to Chloe.

Skimming over the article, Chloe's mouth dropped.

_Sparks flying between competitors?  
_ _By: Jason Thompson_

_After their recent victory on The Voice, fellow competitors Chloe Beale and Stacie Conrad were seen at Insanity, celebrating. The very same club that Beale was seen at with coach Beca Mitchell only a couple weeks ago. The pair were photographed drinking and dancing together, if you can call what they were doing dancing. Looked like there might be a little more going on between the two artists._

_What does this mean on the relationship front of Chloe Beale? Is she just testing the waters or is she strategically sleeping with coaches and competitors alike? See page 6 for more on Beale, Mitchell, and Conrad._

The article was accompanied by a picture of her and Stacie dancing, very close together, Chloe's butt rubbing up against Stacie's front. The redhead's face turned the same shade as her hair. She looked up at Beca, who was standing in front of her, arms crossed, eyebrow raised. She had the decency to look sheepish.

"I.. uh.. I swear this isn't what it looks like.." Beca shook her head.

"Not the best way to start a sentence, Chloe." The singer flinched slightly at Beca's hard tone when saying her name.

"I swear to God Beca, we're just friends. We both got a little drunk, and we're both touchy feely drunks. I think you know both of us well enough to know that's not a lie." Beca nodded slowly. "I mean, we were just out having some fun. Maybe it got out of hand a little bit, but I swear, you're the only one I love." Chloe begged her girlfriend to believe her. "Stacie is just a friend."

The DJ ran a hand through her hair, frustrated. "I saw her on the way into the building Chloe. What am I supposed to think?" Chloe was on the verge of tears, not realizing how much she had screwed up.

"She was way too drunk to make it back to her place alone. Mine was closer, I offered her use of the couch. I swear we weren't even sleeping in the same place." Chloe continued. Beca melted down onto the couch, but Chloe was stuck to her standing position in the middle of the floor.

"I really want to believe you Chlo, really." Chloe's ears perked up at the use of her nickname. "But trust is hard for me. You know that." Chloe nodded cautiously. Beca just sighed. "Look, I don't lo.. like you any less. But give me some space to process this, yeah?" Chloe's heart sank.

But she understood. If she was in the same position Beca was, she would want space. "Ok." Chloe croaked softly. Beca stood up from the couch. She walked over to her girlfriend. She rested a hand against the redhead's forearm. "I just need some time. We'll get through this." Beca said, encouragingly.

Chloe felt horrible. She had never intentionally meant to hurt Beca's feelings. And now it was up to her to keep her promise to Aubrey and fix it. "I know we will. And before you leave, please just know that I love you Becs. Stacie is a good friend, but I'm in love with you. And I'll wait for you as long as it takes." Beca nodded curtly.

"Can I.. give you a hug?" Chloe asked shyly. She wasn't sure if the DJ would say yes, but to her surprise, Beca nodded. So the redhead gently wrapped her arms around Beca's neck, pulling her closer. Out of habit, Beca's arm encircled her girlfriend's waist. They stood in this position for a few minutes, before Beca pulled back.

"I'm sorry Chlo. I just.." The redhead cut her off.

"No, there's nothing you need to be sorry for. This is all on me. It's my fault." Beca wanted to protest, but she knew that Chloe was right. Beca hadn't done anything wrong, though Beca couldn't help the nagging feeling of guilt in the back of her mind. And while the DJ believed that it wasn't intentional on Chloe's part, it didn't stop the doubt and the pain.

"I'll see you on set later then Chloe?" The redhead nodded as she let go of the producer. "I'll see myself out," Beca said, leaving Chloe to her own thoughts. The gravity of the conversation hit Chloe, and the redhead sank into a chair, tears streaming down her face.

* * *

"She did what!" Aubrey almost yelled. Beca shushed her.

"Quiet down Bree." Aubrey kept fuming.

"I specifically told her not to. Where does she live, I'm going to kill that little.." Beca didn't want to hear the words that were about to pour out of Aubrey's lips. While the two were trying out the whole 'friendship' thing again and were only in the early stage, Beca felt that the blonde was the only one she could really confide in about the redhead.

"Bree, please. She didn't mean it." Aubrey scoffed.

"Like hell, she didn't!" Beca almost hit the blonde, but refrained. They were on set, too many witnesses.

"C'mon Aubrey, you know Chloe. She wouldn't... couldn't... intentionally..." Beca was reassuring herself as much as she was reassuring Aubrey. The blonde sighed.

"I guess you're right, but that doesn't mean I can't be mad at her."

"You can." Aubrey heard the sadness in Beca's voice, so she lowered her rage and scooted closer to Beca.

"Are you doing okay Beca?" The DJ appreciated Aubrey's concern but still didn't feel like spilling her feelings.

"I don't know." She said and left it at that. Sensing that the producer wanted to leave the subject alone, she didn't press. Their friendship was still on rocky terms and Beca could pull out at any moment.

"Well, how are you going to handle coaching?" Beca shrugged.

"Like I always have. Separating my personal life and work life." Beca knew it would be tougher than before, what with her feelings towards Chloe. But she had to make it work. The redhead was still a talented singer, despite Beca's hurt feelings. She didn't deserve to be left high and dry because Beca felt like she was being overly sensitive.

"If you say so," Aubrey said skeptically, but cautiously. "But just so you know, next time I see her on set, we're going to have a little chat; girl to girl." Beca laughed a little.

"Be nice to her Aubrey. I still.. like her." Aubrey groaned but nodded.

"Fine. I'll be nice. For now."

* * *

Chloe chose not to come to the studio after she had talked to Beca, instead working on her song from home. With this new issue with her relationship with Beca, she wanted to do something to make it up to the DJ. But she had no idea what to sing. So instead, she spent most of the day, thinking about and regretting what had happened the previous night.

She didn't regret going out the Stacie. The brunette was a fun clubbing friend. But she regretted that she had gotten so.. personal with Stacie in their drunken state. But it was done. And unfortunately for the redhead, it was also immortalized on the internet.

So the next day when she arrived at the studio, she got, even more, stares. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Aubrey glaring at her. She immediately felt uncomfortable under the gaze and ran off in search of Stacie. Finding the brunette walking out of a session with a voice coach, Stacie greeted her friend.

"Hey, Red. What did Beca want to talk about yesterday?" Chloe shushed her, hoping that no one had heard her, before pulling her into an empty studio, closing the door. Not really thinking about what that looked like.

"She thought I had a thing for you! That's what." Stacie looked at Chloe confusedly.

"What, you and me? That's crazy." Stacie laughed. While the brunette knew that her friend was hot, they were just friends. Stacie wasn't really in the habit of getting in bed with friends. She'd flirt, maybe get a little cuddly with them, but never go full out.

"Well, apparently the paparazzi don't think so." Stacie looked confused. Chloe just groaned. "You haven't seen it yet have you?" Stacie shook her head, still confused. "Well, there apparently was a photographer at the club that took pictures of us dancing together." Stacie cringed. "Yeah, exactly. Beca came by the confront me about it." Stacie gave her friend a look of sympathy.

"What did she say?" Chloe sighed in sadness.

"To give her space. She said she wants to believe that I didn't.. you know, and I think she knows that I don't have a thing for you. But Beca is sometimes weird about feelings. I know I hurt her." Stacie wrapped an arm around her friend, pulling her in for a hug.

"It'll be alright Chloe. You two belong together, it'll work out." Chloe rested her head on the taller girl's shoulder.

"I hope so."

* * *

While Chloe was preoccupied with voice coaches and stage crews all morning, Stacie went in search of Beca. She wanted to set the record straight for the DJ. It was partially her fault that the couple was in this situation.

She knocked on the door to the studio where Beca usually coached. A voice called out that it was open, and she stuck her head in the door, to see Beca sitting with Aubrey, the two of them looking intently back at her. "Hey, Beca. Can we talk? Privately." She prayed that the brunette would hear her out.

Beca gave Aubrey a look and while the blonde was unhappy about, she obeyed. Standing up, she walked over to the door, opening it more fully, before stepping past the tall brunette singer, without so much as a word. Stacie stepped into the studio and closed the door quietly behind her.

She went to go sit in the chair that Aubrey had just vacated. Beca just looked at her expectantly. "Well?" She said. Stacie swallowed.

"Look, Chloe really loves you, you know?" Beca sighed.

"So that is what this is about." As if Beca had expected anything else. Stacie nodded. She wanted to help her friend fix things, even if the redhead hadn't asked for the assistance.

"Just hear me out Beca. I know right now, that I'm probably the last person you want to see. But please, don't blame Chloe. I drug her out onto the dance floor as drunk as she was. It was my fault. I didn't mean to have my hands all over your territory." Stacie pleaded with the producer, who sat in silence. "It may not mean much coming from me, but I know you're the only one Chloe has eyes for."

Beca's lids shut, trying to come to terms with what the other brunette was saying. Deep down, she knew that was true, but her surface feelings still were battling for control. "I appreciate you coming to me Stacie. Really. But this is something I have to work out on my own. I know she didn't mean it. But it's still hard to see your girlfriend basically dancing on top of someone else. Her close friend no less." Stacie nodded sadly, she could understand that.

"Okay, but please. Just give her the benefit of the doubt. I'll even take all the blame for it. You can hate me all you want, just forgive her." Stacie begged the DJ. Beca waved her off.

"It's a nice sentiment Stacie, but not necessary. I'll get over it, eventually. Was that all?" Stacie could tell that the conversation was over, so she nodded and silently left the room. Beca was left with only her thoughts for company. She knew that Chloe loved her. There was no doubt about that. Beca just had to figure out how to forgive and forget.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahha, I bet you all thought you were out of the drama woods! Well, you were wrong! Well, actually I thought we were out of the drama woods too to be honest. But then, I thought this would be a better way for it to go. Stacie has actually become a much larger, more complex character than I had originally planned, but I'm fine with that. Hope you all are too.
> 
> Anyways, it's not going to take too long for them to get over this, but it's like they say, 'things always get worse, before they get better.' I promise by the end, it'll all work out. Pinky swear.
> 
> Also when I originally posted this on FFN, there was some annoyance on how far Beca flew off the handle on something that we all see as overreacting. Well, that's the point. My characterization of Beca, while she is cool, calm and mostly collected, has some of her own skeletons, which includes a very fragile sense of trust. That is very easy to break and it takes a very strong relationship for Beca to forgive and forget, so to speak. As I said, they'll work it out.


	23. Fall For You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song(s) Used: Fall for You - Secondhand Serenade  
> Give Your Heart A Break - Demi Lovato

The week was now in full swing and Chloe had to focus on getting ready for top eight. But it was difficult for the redhead. What with Beca asking her for space, she rarely saw the DJ. Only in passing on set, they'd smile and wave at each other, sometimes engaging in meaningless small talk, but that was it. That killed Chloe, to feel so cut off from the girl that she loved.

Outside the set, she was an emotional wreck. She didn't know that a little thing like this would affect her so deeply. Stacie had come over to her apartment a couple of times since their night at the club, just to talk. The brunette felt horrible about what was going on between Chloe and Beca, and she hoped that the DJ would take her words to heart.

"She loves you Chlo. Even if she hasn't explicitly said it, you know that she does. She just felt hurt and the paparazzi didn't help matters. She'll forgive you." Stacie said to her friend, trying to make her feel better. Chloe gave the tall brunette a small smile.

"You're probably right, but it still hurts. You know? I mean, I knew that Beca had some issues, but I didn't think she'd react that strongly. Honestly, if we were still on good speaking terms, I'd want to talk about it with her. Help her through it or at least understand it." Stacie nodded.

"Of course, and when you two fix whatever this is, you'll have the chance. But enough sad stuff for tonight, though, what are you singing for top eight?" Chloe raised an eyebrow.

"Trying to scout out your competition Stace?" The singer looked offended.

"Of course not!" She insisted. Chloe just laughed.

"Well, it's a secret. I'm not telling anyone."

"You haven't even told Beca?" Chloe shook her head.

"It's kind of for Beca, so I didn't want to tell her. And even so, we've rarely spoken. I got Aubrey to help me." That surprised Stacie. From what she knew, Aubrey had become pretty protective of Beca, if that look that she gave Stacie the other day was any indication.

"How did you manage that?" Chloe sighed.

"It wasn't easy.

* * *

" _Really Beale? You want me to help you, after what you did?" Aubrey was taken aback by Chloe asking for her help._

" _Please Aubrey, I need to make it up to her. And you're the only one who can help me." Which wasn't strictly true, she could get another coach to approve her song, but it was important that she square things with the blonde. The woman in question folded her arms._

" _And say that I do help you, what is your plan?"_

" _Sing a song on stage, on Monday." Aubrey's eyebrows shot up._

" _You've got guts, Beale, I'll give you that." Chloe looked at the performer sheepishly._

" _I mean.. It's not like I'm going to dedicate the song to her or anything, but it'll be for her none the less." Aubrey shook her head, eyes closed. "I didn't mean to hurt her Aubrey, honest. I didn't know.. If I had.." Aubrey begrudgingly relented. This girl meant a lot to Beca, and if Aubrey was honest, it was hard to dislike Chloe Beale._

" _Just make sure you fix it, Beale, she's broken up over you. And if you ever make her feel like this again, I will personally hire a hitman to take you out." She said seriously._

_Chloe didn't put that past the blonde._

* * *

"Well, that sounds less complicated and difficult than I expected." Chloe shrugged.

"But it was no less nerve-wracking. A defensive and protective Aubrey Posen is nothing to play around with." Stacie laughed.

"I suppose you're right. So you're going to sing a song for her? How do you know that she'll understand that it's for her? I mean, the DJ can be a little dense." Stacie pointed out.

"I just have to hope that she will."

* * *

During the same week, Beca had taken a lot of time to herself. She rarely saw Chloe, knowing that she was trying to avoid the redhead. It hurt both of them, a lot. But it was necessary for now.

After doing a lot of thinking and reflecting, she knew that she had overreacted, a lot. Chloe hadn't done anything wrong and Beca was just taking everything too personally. After what Stacie had said to her, it made her think. Stacie was willing to take the brunt of Beca's anger for the redhead. She knew the two girls had become close friends over the duration of the show, but until that moment, she didn't realize how close. Their friendship still kind of made Beca insecure about her place in Chloe's life, but she had to learn to trust the redhead. And they'd never get to that point if Beca kept avoiding the girl.

Beca sat back on the couch in her apartment, running her hands through her hair, frustrated. She had royally screwed this one up and she had no idea how to go about fixing it. Chloe was now one of the most important people in her life, girlfriend or not. The excited and bubbly redhead was something special. Glancing over at her guitar, sitting on the stand in the corner of the room. She got up to walk over it. Picking the instrument up in her hand, she started strumming some chords. Closing her eyes, she let the music take control.

After she had hummed out the song in her mind, she opened her eyes and smiled. She had work to do.

* * *

It had been a long week, and now Friday had rolled around, everyone was scurrying around set, getting ready for performances that following Monday. Chloe, with the help of Aubrey, had gotten everything ready for the performances. She was nervous. The redhead was taking a big risk. Not in getting caught, but terms of her standing on the show. It was a possibility that what she did might not get her enough votes to move on. A small possibility, but a real one none the less. She just had to hope that it would be enough.

At the end of the day, Chloe was packing up her stuff when she heard a knock on the door to the studio that she was practicing in. She walked over to open the door and was greeted by Beca. The redhead smiled. "Hey, Becs. What are you doing here? I was just about to head home." She could see Beca's nervousness, she was bouncing from one foot to the other, hands in her pockets.

"Hey, Chlo." She said softly. "I won't keep you long, I just wanted to give you this." She took a USB drive out of her pocket and handed it to the redhead. Chloe took the device from the DJ's hand, turning it over in her hand. She held it up.

"What's this for?" She asked, confused.

"Just open it and listen to the files on it this weekend. Please." Chloe could hear the pleading tone in Beca's voice, so she nodded.

"Okay. Oh and Beca, can we talk sometime? Maybe next week." She shyly and cautiously asked. Beca's face blanched but just pointed to the USB.

"Of course, but please, just look at that first." She said and turned to walk away without another word. Chloe watched the retreating brunette before looking at the drive.

"What are you?" She whispered to the device. Tucking it into a pocket in her pants, she finished packing up and left to go home for the weekend. It was late when she got back to her apartment, so she decided to hit the hay and look at what Beca had given her the next morning. So, she set the small thumb drive on her kitchen counter before getting ready to go to sleep. As she drifted off, her thoughts were only filling with the tiny DJ, hoping and praying that they'd get over whatever place they were in.

* * *

Chloe woke late the next morning, not being woken up by a phone call at eight in the morning for once. Or hung over, that was a definite plus. As she lay on her back, the redhead stared at the ceiling, willing herself to get out of bed. But of course, she lay there for another hour or so before getting up. So it was around eleven in the morning before she actually got out of bed.

She wandered over to her little kitchen to get a cup of coffee. As she waited for the water to boil, she laid eyes on the USB drive that Beca had given her the previous day. Picking up the device, she examined it. There was nothing out of the ordinary about it. Setting the drive back down on her counter, she turned her attention to her now boiling water, pouring herself a cup of coffee.

The redhead grabbed the USB, sat down at her coffee table, and popped open the lid to her laptop. Taking a sip from her glass, she waited for her computer to boot up before plugging the drive into it. Finding the correct directory and clicking on it, she found three files waiting for her. One was an audio file, one was a text file and one was a video file.

The audio file was titled "Play Me First." So the redhead double clicked on it. The track started to play, and Chloe was graced with the sound what she thought might be a guitar. And she only confirmed that it was Beca when the DJ's voice came on.

**The best thing about tonight's that we're not fighting  
** **Could it be that we have been this way before  
** **I know you don't think that I am trying  
** **I know you're wearing thin down to the core**

**But hold your breath  
** **Because tonight will be the night that I will fall for you  
** **Over again  
** **Don't make me change my mind**

**Or I won't live to see another day  
** **I swear its true  
** **Because a girl like you is impossible to find  
** **You're impossible to find**

Chloe's eyebrows shot up as she listened to her girlfriend sing. She rarely heard Beca sing outside the DJ's own music productions. And when she did, there was almost always another voice harmonizing with her, often Chloe's own. But to hear Beca's voice, in all its alto glory was always something else. And the lyrics of the song weren't lost on Chloe either.

**This is not what I intended  
** **I always swore to you I'd never fall apart  
** **You always thought that I was stronger  
** **I may have failed  
** **But I have loved you from the start**

**Oh, but hold your breath  
** **Because tonight will be the night that I will fall for you  
** **Over again  
** **Don't make me change my mind**

**I won't live to see another day  
** **I swear it's true  
** **Because a girl like you is impossible to find  
** **It's impossible**

The redhead felt a tear or two drip down her cheek. She desperately wanted to watch the video clip but also wanted to finish listening to the brunette sing. It touched Chloe that Beca would do something like this for her. She only hoped that this meant that they would be okay.

**So breathe in so deep  
** **Breathe me in  
** **I'm yours to keep**

**And hold onto your words  
** **'Cause talk is cheap  
** **And remember me tonight when you're asleep**

And the song continued, turning into a full acoustic version of Secondhand Serenade's song. Chloe wasn't too familiar with the band itself, but she had heard the song before. As she listened, a smile grew on her face. If the video clip was what she hoped it was, her performance that coming Monday would be perfect. As the song ended, Chloe's emotions were all over the place, but she closed the track and opened up the video clip which was titled "Me Next." A video of Beca's face popped up on her screen. Chloe smiled at the image of her girlfriend before hitting play.

"Hey, Chlo." Beca started, already running a hand through her messy hair. "I guess if you're watching this, I got the courage to give the files to you and you listened to the song I did." Beca smiled sadly.

"Look, I'm sorry. I overreacted and took out my insecurities on you. That's not your fault. You were just having fun with Stacie, I even encouraged you to go out. By the way, that girl is a great friend, you need to keep her around." Beca laughed, although Chloe wasn't sure what about. But then Beca quieted.

"It's definitely not enough to just say I'm sorry over a video and give you a song I made and expect everything to be okay. But I hope that it's a start. I know you have a performance Monday, and I know that I've been avoiding you all week, and I didn't mean to make you hurt more than I already did. But, please, take the weekend to think about it, and if you want, come over to my apartment after the show on Monday and we'll talk." Chloe sat, captivated by the video playing on her laptop. She had hoped that this was Beca's way of saying things would be okay, but she had never imagined that Beca would be so forthcoming with her feelings.

"This is so not me. I hope you know that. What you do to me." Beca laughed. "Feelings and I have never gotten along, but with you, I know I've told you, but it's different. I just want to make this work. And it won't if we don't talk about what I've been trying to avoid." It seemed that Beca wanted to talk about her insecurities and get over them as much as Chloe wanted to help her girlfriend.

"So yeah." The DJ said nervously. "I'll see you on Monday Chlo. Remember what I said, this wasn't your fault, I'm sorry I made you feel that way." Beca offered her a small smile before turning off the camera. Chloe leaned back on the couch, processing what Beca had just said.

Her girlfriend was right, that this was a lot more complicated than just apologizing and expecting things to go back to the way they were. But it was a start. Chloe leaned forward and clicked on the last file on the drive, the text file. On her screen popped a notepad document with what was titled as 'Beca's Address.'

It read, "Chlo, I don't want to force you to come over Monday if you're not ready to talk. So I'll leave it all up to you. Below is my address, I won't see you after the show, but come over if you're ready. I love you Chlo." The redhead looked at the DJ's address which comprised of a street number, building number and apartment number. It looked to be not too far from where Beca recorded. But Chloe would need to double check to be sure.

And that last line made Chloe stop and stare. 'I love you Chlo.' This was the first time that Beca had explicitly said, or even typed the words. Staring at the words, Chloe knew there was no way in hell that she wouldn't be seeing Beca after the show on Monday. But this new development made the girl even more nervous for her performance.

* * *

Monday rolled around and true to her word, Chloe hadn't seen Beca all day. She knew that the brunette was avoiding her, for what was hopefully the last time. She didn't necessarily mind given the circumstances, but it didn't really hurt any less. So she just distracted herself all day with stage and sound checks, getting ready for the show, and just generally trying to keep her mind off the DJ.

So when that night came round and when Chloe was standing backstage before the show started, she was surprised to see Beca. She shot the DJ a smile and without warning pulled her into a hug. Beca wasn't surprised by the contact this time, so she just wrapped her arms around the redhead, returning the hug. When they both pulled back, they just stared at each other.

"I'm sorry Chlo," Beca whispered. Chloe just shook her head.

"I know." Before either woman said another word, they both got called that the show was about to start. Beca looked apologetically at her girlfriend before running off towards her chair. And as Chloe took her spot on stage, she looked down at Aubrey and Beca. Both women gave her a look, Beca looked encouraging and Aubrey gave her a look that said 'don't you dare fuck this up.' Chloe gulped before listening to Carson start the show.

She would be going last this time since she came in first the previous week, so she had a little while to wait. She'd also be going after a commercial break as they needed to wheel in a piano to the stage for her. So as the redhead waited and watched her fellow performers backstage, she thought about what she was about to do. She only hoped that Beca would understand.

* * *

Before she knew it, it was her turn to go. Finishing out the show was almost as nerve-wracking as going first. The bar had been set high that night by everyone, and she needed to reach and exceed it.

The piano and mic had been set up for her, so as she sat, waiting for the show to go back on the air, she looked down at the coaches. They were all looking at her expectantly, waiting to see what she was going to do. Well, besides Aubrey, who already knew.

"And we're back! Last up tonight is everyone's favorite firecracker from Team Beca, singing _Give Your Heart A Break,_ Chloe Beale!" The crowd cheered as Chloe mentally got herself in the zone. As she did so, she did miss the look that Aubrey shot Beca.

Running her hands over the ivory keys once again, she took a breath. The crowd cheered in appreciation of her skills with the instrument.

**The day I first met you  
** **You told me you'd never fall in love  
** **But now that I get you  
** **I know fear is what it really was**

**Now here we are,  
** **So close yet so far.  
** **Haven't I passed the test?  
** **When will you realize,  
** **Baby, I'm not like the rest?**

She wanted nothing more to look down at Beca, to see the brunette's reaction, but she didn't want to risk messing herself up, so she kept her eyes on anything but the coaches.

**Don't wanna break your heart  
** **Wanna give your heart a break  
** **I know you're scared it's wrong  
** **Like you might make a mistake**

**There's just one life to live  
** **And there's no time to wait,**

Beca looked up at the redhead, a small smile coming over her face. She dared to hope that the song was a response to her admission, but she wasn't sure. The redhead had been preparing for days before Beca had given her the thumb drive. But a girl could dream, right?

**And there's no time to wait, to wait  
** **So let me give your heart a break, give your heart a break  
** **Let me give your heart a break, your heart a break**   


**There's just so much you can take  
** **Give your heart a break  
** **Let me give your heart a break, your heart a break  
** **Oh yeah, yeah**

As Chloe sang the chorus, she was continually hitting high notes that elicited cheers and applause from the audience. The redhead always had a different performer's high when she was playing piano on stage along with singing. She got more focused and in the zone to her playing. Like the crowd was fueling her emotions and passion for the instrument.

**When your lips are on my lips  
** **Then our hearts beat as one  
** **But you slip out of my fingertips  
** **Every time you run, whoa-oh-whoa-oh-oh**

**Don't wanna break your heart  
** **Wanna give your heart a break  
** **I know you're scared it's wrong  
** **Like you might make a mistake**

**There's just one life to live  
** **And there's no time to wait, to wait  
** **So let me give your heart a break**

Chloe had cut the song there, believing that it was enough to both hopefully get her point across to Beca and successfully move herself into the next week. She ended on a long note, which the crowd screamed and hollered for. As she finally allowed herself to look down at the coaches, she was Blake and Adam clapping along with everyone else. Aubrey looked up at her approvingly. And when she finally looked at Beca, she was a captivated DJ just staring intensely at her.

Yes, she had made the right decision.

* * *

Chloe held up the slip of paper she had written Beca's address on. Taking a breath, she walked into the building, greeting the guy at the desk. He nodded in acknowledgment before Chloe took the elevator up to the top floor. She had an odd desire to chew her nails in anticipation and nervousness.

All she wanted to do was get past this. The two women had forgiven the other, but the moment wasn't forgotten, and until they actually talked about it, it never would be. Stopping outside Beca's door, the redhead gulped and put her knuckles up to the door. Knocking three times, she waited for Beca to open up.

She didn't wait long before the door was cracked open and she was greeted by her girlfriend. "You came," Beca said hesitantly like she didn't believe that Chloe would be there. But the singer just nodded.

"Of course I did Becs. I want this to work as much as you do. Besides, I wanted to talk to you too." Beca opened the door wider, allowing Chloe into her apartment. Just like Beca's recording studio, her apartment had a beautiful view of the LA skyline. Both women stood side by side, looking out the window.

"It's been a long time since we've done this," Chloe remarked and Beca was inclined to agree. The DJ reached down to grab Chloe's hand, intertwining their fingers.

"I know I've said it a lot, but I'm sorry Chlo. I overreacted, you didn't deserve what I did." Beca said as she gazed out the window. Chloe took her free hand to cup Beca's cheek and turn the brunette's face to hers.

"I just want to forget it ever happened and move past this Becs. But we can't until I know why." Beca sighed. She knew the redhead was right. The DJ had never told anyone but Aubrey about her homelife and abandonment issues, and on some level, she still wasn't ready, but she knew that she had to.

"I didn't have the best home life Chlo." She started. "My parents divorced when I was a kid and my dad just left. He was never there until college and even then he just forced me into going to Barden because he taught there. Like offering me a college experience I didn't want would fix the years of his absence." Chloe gripped her girlfriend's hand tighter, encouraging her to let it all out.

"Aubrey was one of my only friends during college. And when she let me down, I felt even more abandoned and alone. Almost everyone in my life who I've ever really cared about has let me down or walked out. My dad didn't even try hard to fix it. Aubrey.. well we're working on it, but it's been five or six years. I had close friends in high school who never contacted me after high school. I just… it's hard for me Chloe. I know this is a shitty explanation and isn't one that you deserve, but it's all I can give you." Beca's eyes dropped to the floor. "Trust has always been hard for me. I've just had so many shitty things happen involving people that I had trusted, that it's affected me in ways I wish it hadn't."

"Hey Becs, look at me," Chloe said, drinking in Beca's story. She always knew Beca had personal life issues, but she hadn't expected that. Beca's eyes met hers. "I know that you're scared that I'll leave you or that I'll find someone else. But I promise you that I never will. I want to help you through this." Chloe smiled at her girlfriend. The DJ didn't say anything, instead just leaning up to press her lips against the redhead's lips. It was the first time in a week or so since they had kissed, and both women had missed the feeling.

Chloe brought her hand up to Beca's neck, pulling the DJ's lips closer to hers if that was possible. When the two needed to come up for air, Chloe rested her forehead on Beca's. The two grinned at each other, knowing that things would all be okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I honest to God spent like five or six hours trying to pick out songs. It was a long process. I originally just wanted Chloe to sing at performances, but a lot of songs I came across were like a perfect fit to Beca, so I tried to figure out a way to write that in. Her song is mostly based on the acoustic version of the song, not a cover. And Chloe's performance is kind of a mix of the original version and the Anthem Lights cover, mostly where the piano piece comes from.


	24. Gravity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Song(s) Used: Gravity - Against the Current

The next day, Stacie cornered her friend on set. "So, how did it go?" She asked excitedly. Chloe blushed slightly and Stacie squealed at the sight. "You totally did it last night didn't you?" She accused.

"What? No!" Chloe almost shouted before lowering her voice so they wouldn't be overheard. "No, we might have made out a little bit, but we both want to be able to be open about our relationship before we do that." Stacie huffed, the overly sexual female obviously not understanding why that had to be a thing.

"Well, you at least had a good chat?" Chloe nodded, not wanting to talk too much about it. She and Beca had talked at length in between makeout sessions about how to move forward. But it still felt private. Beca had shared a good deal of personal information. Chloe felt the need to keep that between them.

"I mean, yeah. We talked. I got a bit more insight into who Beca Mitchell is. We both came to terms with it. I think we're working on moving past this."

"Well that's a relief." Stacie remarked before Chloe remembered something that Beca had told her the previous night.

"Yeah, Beca also mentioned that you were a good friend and that I should keep you around." Stacie furrowed her brow.

"What? Why? Your entire fight was pretty much over me." Chloe shook her head.

"No, our disagreement was about her and her insecurities. But it's nice to know you think so highly of yourself." Both women laughed. "But no, she told me about your little chat.' Stacie's face turned a shade of red it rarely ever did. Chloe was going to get her licks in on her friend where she could.

"Really? What did she say?" Stacie asked hesitantly. Chloe shrugged, like it didn't really matter.

"Oh, just this and that. She mentioned that you seemed adamant on us kissing and making up. That you told her that you'd take all the blame." Chloe raised an eyebrow. "I didn't know you cared that much Conrad." Stacie bit her lip.

"I just.." She started before she was cut off by the redhead throwing her arms around the taller female. "Oof." Stacie was unprepared to be tackled into the hug but when she recovered, smiled down at Chloe.

"Thank you. It meant a lot Stace." Chloe whispered into Stacie's shoulder. The brunette lightly nodded.

"I just didn't want to get in the way of a great relationship before it could really get started. I'm not that cruel." The singer admitted.

"Well, it's appreciated." Chloe said, letting go her friend. "And I hope that you'll stick around to see what it turns into." Chloe said. Stacie, of course, nodded vigorously.

"You're not going to be able to get rid of me that easily Beale." The two laughed. "Well, I suppose I'd better release you for tonight, right?" Chloe grimaced but nodded. She was not looking forward to the results from the prior evening. "Hey, I'm sure you'll do fine." Chloe shrugged.

"I guess we'll see." She said before running off.

* * *

And there she was again, standing on stage with the overwhelming desire to chew her nails off. Waiting for Carson to read off the first two names that would be moving into top six. This time standing between Jesse and a girl from Blake's team named Emily, Chloe patiently awaited the results.

"And once again, you've spoken America! It was a close race this week." Carson started. Chloe took the opportunity to look around and her eyes briefly met Beca's. The DJ smiled at her girlfriend, before turning her attention back to Carson.

"The first two artists saved from elimination this week are in my hand." Carson shook the red envelope with their names in his hand. The crowd cheered in anticipation. Opening the envelope and pulling out a single card, Carson began to read the name printed on it.

"Moving on to next week.." Pause. "From Team Aubrey." Chloe knew who it was then and there. He was the only one left from Aubrey's team. "Jesse Swanson!" The goofy male fist pumped.

"Yes!" He yelled, followed by a jump into the air. He grinned at the audience, waving as he made his way over to the side of the stage. Chloe watched Carson pull out the other card.

"Also moving on to next week…" Chloe blinked. "From Team Beca." Chloe's ears perked up, it was still between her and Donald. "Chloe Beale!"

The crowd clapped and whistled as Chloe squealed a little bit, the bubbly redhead bouncing up and down. She followed Jesse's footsteps over to the side of the stage where the male gave her a high five, which she returned obviously.

She turned to grin brightly at Stacie, who was still standing up on stage. The audience would be morons to not choose the tall brunette to move on. "And we'll reveal the next two after the commercial break." And cut.

Chloe made her way over to Stacie, who was smiling, despite still being up on stage. "Way to go Chlo! I knew you'd make it." The singer congratulated her friend. Chloe nodded.

"Yeah, and so will you! There's no way in hell that you won't." Stacie waved her hand.

"We'll see. What happens, happens I guess." Chloe couldn't believe the brunette seemed to have little care if she moved on or not. "Don't get me wrong, I'd love to move on of course. But regardless, this was an amazing experience and I wouldn't regret a thing if I got voted off right now. I met a really great friend, have an amazing coach and I've learned so much. And I don't think I'm going to be hurting for singing gigs anytime soon." She winked.

"One minute everyone!" Someone called out. The signal for everyone to get in their positions. Chloe scampered off to stand by Jesse.

"Looks like we might be facing off again Chloe." Jesse said to her. And the redhead nodded.

"Looks like it. And no offense, but I hope it's a different outcome than last time." Jesse laughed.

"Dare to dream Beale." He challenged. But the signal that the show was going to go back on the air came before she had the chance to respond.

"Welcome back everyone! Now, as promised, the names of the next two to be moving on." Carson pulled another card out of a new envelope.

"From Team Adam.." Chloe grinned, she knew what was coming next. And from the light in Stacie's eyes, she did too. "Stacie Conrad!" The crowd clapped and cheered for the artist as she fist pumped like Jesse had.

She almost ran over and pulled Chloe into a hug, not caring who saw. Chloe laughed and also threw her arms around her friends.

At this sight, Beca almost expected to feel insecure. But to her surprise, she felt nothing but happiness and pride. It was a different, but good feeling. She was happy that both girls had moved on, and even happier that Chloe had a friend to celebrate with.

Chloe's eyes had darted down to Beca, to see the brunette looking at her, smile on her face, clapping along with the rest of the crowd. Chloe was happy that the two had been able to work out the insecurity that her girlfriend possessed. It wasn't cured, of course. But it was a step in the right direction.

* * *

Moving into top six, it was time to really bring your A game. There would be no saves this week, the bottom two would be going home, period. So, obviously no one wanted to be in that position.

Most of the artists spent the entire week rehearsing their asses off, Chloe and Stacie included. So much so, that the girls didn't have too much time to themselves. One positive of this experience though was that Chloe got to spend long amounts of time with Beca. The DJ was her coach after all.

After their issues were worked out, the couple started to rehearse in Beca's recording studio again. Playing with fire with the producers and paparazzi, but they wanted time to themselves.

"It's a good song pick Chlo, stop stressing so much." Beca said to her girlfriend who was standing at the microphone stand. Chloe ran her hands through her curly hair.

"I know, I'm just.. nervous. This is really big. Not that everything else wasn't, but I mean, Monday determines who moves on to finals. And not to mention the whole experience is almost over." She would be lying if she hadn't thought about what her life would be like after the show.

"It's been a crazy ride, hasn't it? I never would have expected this entire thing to lead to what it did." Beca smiled. "But I wouldn't have it any other way, would you?" Chloe shook her head.

"Of course not. I made some great, lifelong friends, met this amazing DJ and producer who might be my girlfriend, and I got to sing on national TV. The whole thing is pretty surreal." Beca smirked.

"This girlfriend anyone that I know?" She teased. Chloe walked over to the chair Beca was situated in.

"I don't know. You might know her. She's this really amazing performer with an even better voice. She's cute, beautiful, sexy, not to mention tiny." Beca glared. "But she's all mine." She whispered, climbing onto Beca's lap.

"I don't know Chlo, she sounds pretty badass."

"Oh I think she is." Beca shivered as Chloe whispered into her ear. The redhead leaned back to pull Beca up by the collar of her shirt, pressing their lips together. Beca gripped Chloe by the thighs, pulling the redhead closer to her. It was moments like this where it felt like they were just two normal people. Like being a world famous producer and an up and coming singer meant nothing. Losing themselves to each other.

Needing to come up for air, Chloe pulled back first. She smirked at the state she had left her girlfriend. The DJ was breathing heavily, her eyes darkened. "Still as amazing as the first time we kissed." Chloe said, almost dreamily. And of course, Beca agreed.

Comfortable with her choice of seat, Chloe just settled into Beca's lap, legs still straddling the tiny DJ. The redhead's arms settled on Beca's shoulders. "I almost feel like I don't know what we're going to do after the show is over. I mean, everyone is going to be paying attention to this, to us." Chloe said.

"I mean.. we can continue to keep it a secret, if that's what you want?" Beca said. She didn't want Chloe to feel uncomfortable with their relationship out in public. The DJ knew how hard it was on a relationship to always being asked about it by reporters. But the redhead shook her head.

"No, of course not. I just.. It'll take some getting used to." Beca reached up to grab hold one of Chloe's arms that was resting on her shoulder.

"Yeah, it will. But I'll be there with you the entire way babe." Chloe smiled at her girlfriend before she leaned in to capture the producer's lips again. Chloe tried to convey through the kiss how much Beca's support meant to her, pulling Beca's face closer to hers.

Beca's hands snaked up Chloe's sides, causing the redhead to shiver. They hadn't gone anywhere besides making out, but they still let their hands wander once in a while. Chlo pulled back before Beca's hands went too much further. "We can't." She gasped. Both girls hated to stop, but once again, didn't want their first time to be a rushed deal in Beca's recording studio. There would be plenty of time for that later.

"Yeah, sorry. Just got a little antsy." Chloe scoffed.

"Don't apologize. I love your hands on my body." The redhead winked seductively, causing Beca to swallow quite hard. Chloe giggled at the effect she had on the DJ before getting off Beca.

"You ready to go again?" She asked her girlfriend as she made her way back to the microphone stand. She was going to make this performance perfect, even if it killed her. Beca nodded, pulling her chair back to her mixing board, hitting the play button on the track.

* * *

It was Monday again. And surprisingly, even with the added pressure of being the week before finals, Chloe wasn't as nervous as she had been before. Perhaps it was because she had made it this far, always within the top four bar that first week of live shows. She didn't want to assume it was a sure thing she would be in the finals, but then again, she was pretty confident.

She was so busy that Monday that she hardly got any time to see both Beca and Stacie. She saw her friend in passing, wishing her good luck in the hallways. Which Stacie returned in kind. Both hated that they would most likely be going up against each other in the finals, but at the same times, it was exciting. Made the competition that much more.

It was only an hour before the show was set to go on the air, when Chloe got a moment to breathe. And of course, Beca was there to boost her confidence.

"You'll do great tonight Chlo. You've worked really hard for this." Beca said, patting the redhead on the back. Chloe nodded her head absentmindedly. Her head and thoughts were elsewhere at the moment.

"Yeah." She said.

"Hey Chlo, look at me." Chloe turned her head to meet her girlfriend's eyes. "I'm serious. You'll do amazingly. Remember, you're doing this for you, not for anyone else." Chloe gave Beca a lopsided grin, nodded vigorously.

"I just want everything to go perfectly. And I mean, I'm not as nervous as I have been, but still." Beca understood. That was one of the things about performing. Every time it got a little easier, but the nerves never really went away. She just rubbed her hand up against Chloe's bicep.

"I get that, definitely. But just believe in yourself and you'll be fine." Chloe gave Beca a small grin before pulling her into a one armed hug.

"I hate to break up this cute little moment, but we're needed on set Beca." Both women turned their heads to the voice to see Aubrey. She looked at Chloe sympathetically. "Sorry Chloe. Good luck tonight by the way."

"Thanks Aubrey. And don't worry, I understand. Show business, right?" Aubrey chuckled.

"Indeed. C'mon Becs." Aubrey said before walking off. Beca looked apologetically at Chloe who motioned for her to go. The DJ got up to go follow the blonde singer, leaving Chloe alone.

A few minutes later, Stacie came to come find the redhead. It was time that all the performers take their places on the stage. So Chloe got up to go follow her friend.

* * *

This time Chloe would be going second to last. She was okay with that. At least she wouldn't be going first or last. She always preferred somewhere in the middle. And as she watched Stacie perform _She Will Be Loved_ , she believed more and more that Stacie was here in the top six for good reason. She certainly knew how to draw a crowd and of course her voice was top notch.

Then it came time for Chloe to go. The stage darkened, only a soft blue light highlighting the stage. The quiet took the audience in anticipation. She began by clapping out a beat, beckoning the audience to join her. Very quickly she had the entire crowd clapping along to her beat.

**Do you remember feeling invincible?  
** **When there was trouble it was us against the world  
** **We kept running, running through the night  
** **Chasing the sun 'til anything felt right**

With the audience keeping her beat along with the band playing the background, she grasped the microphone that was slotted into the stand. The chorus started out slow compared to the rest of the song, but it wasn't a slow song by any means. Over the course of the show, Chloe had certainly tuned into a different genre than where she had started.

**Can you save me now?  
** **I get lost up in the clouds  
** **Can you save me now?  
** **You were my gravity**

**Can you save me now?  
** **When the ground drops out I get lost in the clouds  
** **Save me now  
** **You were my gravity  
** **Now my world is shattering**

**Ooooh, you were my gravity  
** **Ooooh, you were my gravity**

The second part of the chorus is when the song really picked up. Belting out a high and explosive note, Chloe thrust her fist into the air, closing her eyes as artists tended to do when they hit the higher and louder notes. As she continued the chorus, she brought her hands up to point out at the audience, waving them above her head.

**You left me out there with no one but myself  
** **In an open field for the lightning to strike me down  
** **I was the moon, you were the sun  
** **I can't seem to shine now that you're gone  
** **Now I'm out of orbit cause you left without warning  
** **Are you somewhere better now?**

At the mention of the sun and moon, Chloe looked and pointed up to the ceiling, as to emphasize her point. The audience, some of them still clapping on the beat was cheering and whistling while the redhead sang. This energized the singer to pull the microphone out of the stand for the second chorus.

**Can you save me now?  
** **I get lost up in the clouds  
** **Can you save me now?  
** **You were my gravity**

**Can you save me now?  
** **When the ground drops out I get lost in the clouds  
** **Save me now  
** **You were my gravity  
** **Now my world is shattering**

**Ooooh, you were my gravity  
** **Ooooh, you were my gravity**

Chloe and Beca had both decided to cut out the bridge as well as the end chorus. They both felt that the first two verses were the epitome of the song and the most important. It wasn't necessary to sing the entire song. But what she did sing was just as powerful. Chloe had been singing softer, more subdued songs the last couple of weeks. So to hear such an explosive, upbeat song was a welcomed change, for both the audience and for the singer herself.

One of the things Chloe now loved so much about the rock vibe was that it felt much more freeing to perform. Some genres felt restricting on how loose you could get with your movements and even vocal hits. But with rock, it was entirely acceptable to be nearly flailing around, singing your heart out on the highest notes.

The singer had ended her performance on the softer side, sliding the microphone back into the stand as the stage faded to black with only that singular, soft, blue backlight. The audience clapped, whistled and screamed in approval of Chloe's performance. To the redhead, that was one of the best moments of performing, hands down. To know that the people watching you truly appreciate your art. She imagined it was the same for artists, writers, actors and anyone else really. Self-validation some might call it.

Chloe would just call it magical.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Chloe's performance, pretty much based entirely on the music video for Gravity. Except for the lightning. I just made that up. What can I say? I'm a sucker for Against the Current and Chrissy Costanza. Favorite band pretty much of all time. As well as #1 girl crush. But enough of my fangirling.


	25. This Is It

To say Chloe's nerves were going wild that night would be an understatement. This was the biggest reveal night so far. It would decide who would move on to finals. Beca had been supportive all day, but Chloe still felt apprehensive.

"C'mon Chlo. You've been finishing within the top four for weeks now. It was only that first week that was a slip-up. And let's be real, that was probably due to other things besides your singing." Beca tried.

"But what if.." Chloe started but Beca didn't let her finish.

"Don't focus on the what ifs babe. You'll make it, I know you will." Beca offered Chloe her crooked smile. The redhead sighed, but figured that it Beca was right. It would do no good to freak out over it. Votes were probably done and counted by now. They were now just waiting for the show premiere to find out.

"You know, I don't know what I would have done without you Becs." Chloe looked over to the DJ sitting next to her. And she meant it. Beca had been more than just her girlfriend over the course of the show. Beca had put all her faith in the redhead and Chloe didn't know if she would be where she was if it hadn't been for that.

"You still would have gone out there and wowed everyone. But as it is, you won't have to find out." Chloe smiled.

"Thanks, Becs." Beca nodded.

"What are girlfriends for?"

* * *

Now was the moment of truth. Everything Chloe had done so far had lead up to this point. "We've got a jam-packed show for you tonight. But I'm sure everyone is excited to learn who will move on to finals!" Carson said and the crowd cheered in affirmation.

"As you all know, this week there will be no instant saves. The bottom two are going home. Period." That was the most nerve-wracking part in Chloe's opinion. Knowing that it was all or nothing.

"Well, lets get to it then!" They had edited in some backstage interviews and progress clips, so those were put up on the screens. As well as just cut in for the viewers at home. Most of them were just the remaining contestants saying how far they had all come and how great of an experience it had been.

After that portion was over and done with, the cameras were back on Carson and the six remaining artists. "It's time," Carson said dramatically as the spotlights zeroed in on the stage. There were loud screams and whistles coming from the studio audience.

"The first artist moving on to the final performance is.." Chloe blinked a couple of times in the span of Carson's pause. "From Team Adam.." Stacie already was thrusting her fist at her side. "Stacie Conrad!" Chloe smiled at her friend as Stacie screamed a little bit, bouncing up and down. As she ran off towards the side of the stage, she shot Chloe a pair of thumbs up.

"The next artist moving on is.." Chloe clenched her fists. She was getting real tired of the pauses. "From Team Beca…" Chloe bit her lip, Donald was still in it, so there was a possibility that it was him. "Chloe Beale!" The redhead felt a wave of relief and excitement wash over her. She had made it. Her hands had shot up to cover her mouth, a little in awe that she had moved on. She didn't budge from her place on stage, a little too out of it to move. So Jesse gave her a gentle push over in Stacie's direction. She walked quickly over to her friend who developed her in a hug.

"I told you that you'd make it!" Stacie said. Chloe nodded without pulling out of the hug. But when she finally did, she saw Beca give her a smug 'I told you so,' look. She just rolled her eyes but was glad that her girlfriend was correct. The next week was going to be long and stressful, but in the end, it would hopefully be worth it.

* * *

It had been a long week. Preparing for finals had taken a toll on everyone. Chloe had been working closely with Beca for the entire week, much closer than the two had before. Not that either of them cared. It was an excellent excuse to spend the entire week with each other. Of course, most of that time was spent working, but they had treated themselves to a few make-out breaks as well.

Chloe still recalled the exact conversation that she had with Beca that day after it was announced she would move one.

* * *

" _So you're in the finals Chlo. Which, congratulations by the way." Beca grinned. "I knew you had it in you." The artist smiled gratefully at Beca._

" _Thanks, Becs. It's surreal, but you know, I'm super excited." Beca nodded._

" _You should be. But that's we need to talk about, do you know how finals work this season?" Chloe shook her head. She had been so preoccupied with other things, she hadn't bothered to find out. "Well, it's similar to most of the other seasons. You'll be doing one solo performance, a duet with me as well as an original song." Chloe's nostrils flared a little. An original song?_

" _Really?" She asked a little apprehensively. The DJ nodded._

" _Yep. Your solo I'm assuming you'll come up with on your own. We can talk about the duet. As for you original, do you even write lyrics? I know you obviously arrange music." Beca was pretty sure she had never heard Chloe singing original lyrics, ever. The redhead bit her lip. It wasn't that she didn't write original songs, it just that for the longest time they had always been personal. And there obviously wasn't enough time for her to write an entirely new song._

" _I mean.. yes? I just.. have never shared them with anyone." She was a little insecure about her writing. She had never fancied herself the best writer ever. In fact, she made sure that her music never saw that light of day. Beca scooted closer to Chloe, wrapping an arm around her._

" _I know it's scary to debut your own music. And something you'll have to get used to when you become a big time artist. Not everyone is going to appreciate your music. But for every person that doesn't, there will be at least three or four people that will like it. You just have to give your music a chance. You'll never grow as an artist if you keep your music bottled up." Chloe nodded slightly._

" _I know. It's just a little overwhelming. I don't even know which one to pick. Most of them aren't even finished." Which was true. When she wrote, she'd write a few lines, sometimes a couple of verses before giving it up._

" _Do you have some that are?" Chloe nodded. There were a couple that she had finished. She just had never had them really, cleanly, put together yet. "Have them with you?" Beca asked, wanting to get a start on this as soon as they could. The earlier they began the process, the more time Chloe would have to get comfortable with her music._

_Again, the redhead nodded. She had the lyrics and sheet music saved in a personal file on her laptop. She reached over to the table to grab it, opening the lid. She searched and found the folder she was looking for._

_To Beca's surprise, there were dozens of files with that folder. When Chloe said she had written a few things, she was obviously downplaying it. "Wow, Chlo. You really weren't kidding when you said you wrote a little bit." The redhead blushed a little._

" _I.. write when I'm emotional. And that tends to be often." Her music was often how she expressed her inner feelings. Those that were hidden underneath her bubbly and exuberant personality. She turned her attention back to her laptop, locating and opening two different text documents. She handed her laptop to Beca, to let the DJ read the lyrics written. She kept thinking to herself that this was Beca and that her girlfriend wouldn't judge her for her music, but it was still an odd feeling to willingly let someone else read it. She kept her own music to herself, not even Tommy had read any. But she knew that she had to trust that Beca would see her lyrics for what they were._

_Beca could tell that the redhead was uncomfortable about letting the DJ read her music, but she didn't know why. As the producer read over the lyrics, she was surprised by what she read. Beca almost didn't it was fair that Chloe was a good performer, a good singer, and a good songwriter. It was like a triple threat in the business. If Beca had any doubts that Chloe would get some sort of record deal or something after the show, they were eradicated. If no one else wanted her, she would for sure. And she was pretty confident that she would be at the top of Chloe's list of producers to work with._

" _These are really good Chlo," Beca said, turning to her girlfriend. Chloe blushed slightly._

" _You think so?" She asked shyly. Beca nodded_

" _Of course. Just because we're dating, doesn't mean I'd lie to you about that. I really think they're good." Chloe smiled slightly. This was a great thing for her._

" _So, any ideas or anything?" Beca turned her attention back to both songs in front of her. Pointing one out, "I think this one is the best of the two. The other one is good, but I don't know if it would be quite right for finals. This one is though." Chloe looked over at the song and nodded. She agreed that it was more up to speed for finals. It was, also by a stroke of luck, the song that she felt more confident with the music she had written._

" _May I?" She asked, pointed at her laptop. Beca immediately handed the computer back. Chloe went back to her folder of originals, opening up the music for it. "So, I wrote out the piano notes for it, but I think it's missing something. Maybe you could take a look?"_

_"Sure." She took the computer back from Chloe to look at the music, humming out the notes to herself. "I think that it's really just missing that beat in there. Maybe we can add some stuff in the studio. Give is sort of a techno-ish feel? Not like, a huge thing, but I don't know if the music is quite suited to the piano." Chloe nodded. She had never thought of that. She only knew how to play the piano, so Beca's suggestion of adding other instruments in post production wasn't something that had come to mind._

" _Yeah. Sounds like a plan._

* * *

She and Beca had worked on her song for the majority of the week, since it had the most work to be done on it. Chloe's music was more complete than the rest, but both women still had work to make it performance ready. Beca had sat down with Chloe at her mixing equipment to help her with the beat.

Admittedly, Chloe had also allowed Beca to add in the DJs personal flavor to the mix as well. The song itself was a little more techno than Chloe would have originally planned, but after listening to it, and recording herself singing the vocals, she knew it was the right choice. She had never imagined that her music would ever see the light of day, nevermind performing a song in front of millions of viewers. But here she was. And this obviously wasn't the first time things were happening to her that she would never have imagined, ever. Including singing a duet with Beca Mitchell, her girl crush of what seemed a thousand years.

* * *

_So we have to sing a duet too?" Chloe asked._

" _Yup." Beca popped the 'p.' "Any ideas? This is your finals night." The redhead thought that over a little bit._

" _I might have a song in mind. Give it a listen?" Beca nodded. Chloe opened up her browser and typed a song into the search bar. The redhead clicked on the video of the song and turned up the volume on her computer._

_Giving the entire track a listen, Beca wasn't entirely sold on the song. "You sure about this one Chlo?" The redhead nodded her head._

" _I've got a good feeling about this one Becs. You want to at least sing it together and see how it sounds? If it sounds like crap we can try a different one." Beca figured that it would be a good compromise. If anything, it would give her a chance to sing a bit with Chloe._

* * *

After the two had gone over the song a couple of times, Beca had been convinced. It wasn't something that Beca would normally be caught dead singing, but it was important to Chloe. And the DJ had to admit, it wasn't a bad track. Just not her typical style.

The couple had taken some time that week to arrange an acoustic version of the song, Chloe obviously on the piano and Beca on the guitar. The song had actually gone really well and both girls were excited about the outcome. Beca knew Chloe was good with arranging music, but after actually going through the entire process, intimately with her, Beca really appreciated the redhead's talent.

Chloe had this impeccable attention to detail that was often beyond Beca. The redhead noticed things within the arrangement that the DJ would never have thought of on her own.

As for Chloe's solo piece, Beca wasn't sure about the song but trusted Chloe to be able to pull it off. If anyone could, it would be her.

* * *

" _Are you sure about this one Chlo? Ellie's voice is kind of hard to replicate." Beca asked, a little concerned about Chloe's song choice._

" _But the point of a cover isn't to replicate it, though. It's to put your own spin on an already existing, sometimes popular song. I think I can do this. But I'll change it if you really want me to." She mentioned. Beca shook her head._

" _No, this is your show. It's your night. If that's what you want, I'm not going to stop you. I just hope you know what you're doing." Beca voiced her opinion, knowing that she shouldn't get in the way of what Chloe wanted to do. The redhead smiled, snuggling up to the DJ._

" _Trust me Becs." The brunette could do nothing but nod. She trusted Chloe with everything._

* * *

And now, sitting on the day of finals, all the hard work she and Beca had put into to this was going to be put to the test. She had rehearsed with Bea briefly earlier that day, and they had nailed their duet. But of course, that was only a small indicator of how they would do that night. Nothing ever was the same as you practice it.

If Chloe was honest, she felt the most anticipation and nervousness with her original. She had no idea how that was going to go over. With Beca's influence on the song, it sounded a little different than if she had arranged it herself. But just like Beca trusted her, she trusted her girlfriend. Beca was a master producer, if anyone knew the business, it was her. And it wasn't that she felt bad about the song at all, it was just different. But of course, Chloe had been doing a lot of different things with her music over the course of the show. This was just another one of those things.

Taking a minute to catch her breath, Chloe took a short break from rehearsing and getting ready for that night. And it was also during that time where Stacie managed to find some time to break away from her own thing. "How are you holding up Chlo?" She asked her friend.

"I'm.. surprisingly more calm than I thought I would be, you?" Stacie laughed.

"Terrified."

"How come? You're a great performer." Stacie shrugged.

"I guess, it's just finally hitting me. We've made it as far as we can go here. Tonight is the last night of performing here. Kind of the last hurrah to show the world what they're capable of, at least here." Chloe nodded. She could see where Stacie was coming from.

"Yeah, that it true. But tonight is going to open up so many doors. Whoever wins is going to walk away with a recording contract. That's huge. Not to mention the rest of us. Even if we don't win, this was big for our names. Like you said, I don't think we're going to have problems booking gigs for a while." Stacie smiled.

"You're right. It's just.. big." Chloe laughed.

"Yeah. Well, I probably should get back." She put a hand on the brunette's arm. "Hey, good luck tonight. Really."

"You too Chlo."

* * *

All four finalists stood together backstage, facing their competition. Out of all of her fellow artists, Chloe felt most threatened by Stacie, of all people. She knew the brunette was good, and everyone knew that. But she also knew that Stacie was her friend and if she was going to lose to anyone, she would want it to be her.

Jesse, well. Chloe had lost to him once, she wasn't going to let it happen again. She hadn't really kept track of his skillset and performance value, but he wasn't a singer to be underestimated. He was good back then, and she was certain that, just like everyone else, he had gotten exponentially better.

And then there was a young artist from Blake's team, Emily Junk. Chloe didn't know too much about her. Although she did know the girl was very friendly and had a pretty good voice. She had to if she had gotten to final four after all.

"Well, this is it, ladies," Jesse said to the other three girls.

"It's been a crazy ride, hasn't it? I mean, who would have imagined being in the final four when we all started?" Stacie said, Chloe nodding in agreement.

"Not me, that's for sure." Emily offered. Before anyone else had a chance to say anything, a stage guy stuck his head through the door.

"Hey people, it's time." He said. All four singers looked in his direction, acknowledging that they had heard his summons. Stacie clapped her hands together, taking a deep breath.

"Well, this is it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kind of just crammed the week leading up to finals into a chapter because, honestly, I didn't think it was that important to showcase. I mean, it's finals week. They're all going to be preparing their asses off. That's about it.
> 
> I'm sure Chloe and Beca had some chances to just spend time for themselves, but it's high stakes now. Not that it wasn't before, but you guys catch my meaning.


	26. The Night Of Finals

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song(s) Used: Dreaming Alone - Against the Current ft. Taka  
> Maybe, Possibly - Megan and Liz  
> Burn - Ellie Goulding  
> Flashlight - Jesse J  
> Take Back the Night - TryHardNinja

The night of finals. The night that everyone on the show had been waiting for and preparing for. As the four artists took their places on stage to wait for the show to begin, Chloe started nervously chewing her bottom lip. Stacie, who happened to be standing next to her, took notice before poking the redhead in the ribs, hard.

"Ouch, what was that for?" Chloe hissed. Stacie rolled her eyes.

"You were going to make your lip bleed if you continued that. Stop it. You're making me nervous." Chloe looked up at her friend sheepishly.

"Sorry." Stacie shrugged.

"I get it, nerves. But seriously, you'll be fine." Before Chloe had the chance to respond, they all got word that it was premier time.

"Welcome to _The Voice!_ Tonight, you will get to decide who is going home with a sweet recording deal and walk away as the voice of season nine!" The crowd clapped and cheered. Cutting to more pre-recorded clips that the artists and coaches had recorded, Chloe stood and watched as her face came up.

" _It's been a real long ride. But totally worth it. I'm going to go out there tonight and sing like my life depended on it."_

The clips cut around to different artists before ending, focusing the camera back to Carson. The rest of the artists had departed the stage, save Emily Junk who was singing first that night. "First up, the youngest of our four artists. She's been the underdog all season long, but she's made it this far and she's going to show you what she's got! Singing _Story of My Life,_ Emily Junk!"

The applause and screaming for the young woman could be heard throughout the studio. As Chloe, Stacie, and Jesse stood backstage, they watched her perform. She was good, especially for someone so young. All three of them were in their early to mid-twenties, but Emily was only eighteen. And to have a voice that was so well tuned and developed was certainly something.

She was the underdog to be sure. But she wasn't to be underestimated.

* * *

As Emily finished her performance, Chloe was up next. She'd be singing her duet with Beca first, later on, followed by her solo, then her original. As they cut to commercial to give the two artists time to get their instruments situated, Chloe waited up on stage while they moved a piano to the stage. Beca, guitar in hand, took her place behind the microphone stand set up next to Chloe. "You ready for this Chlo?" The redhead took a deep breath but nodded.

"As ready as I'll ever be." Beca shot Chloe a sympathetic look.

"Don't worry. You'll be fine." Chloe half-heartedly shrugged.

"I know. I just.. Never dreamed I'd be performing with you. It's like one of the top things to do on my bucket list." Beca laughed.

"Well, I'm glad I'm able to help you complete that." Chloe smiled.

"So am I."

And then the commercial break was over. The cameras focused back on Carson. "Welcome back everyone! Performing now, her duet with coach, Beca Mitchell; Chloe Beale!"

The lights lit up the stage. Beca began strumming her guitar as Chloe followed up with the correct piano chords.

**The story starts laying in the dark with someone new  
** **I'm feeling tired from all the time I spent on you  
** **But I know I'm strong from all the trouble I've been through  
** **The story starts where the story falls apart with you**

Starting off strong, Chloe sang the well-rehearsed lyrics. The two artists had chosen to alternate sections throughout the song, Chloe obviously taking the lead. The redhead had no idea what had drawn her to this song in particular. Perhaps it was the potential to turn it into a very strong acoustic version that she and Beca could do. Chloe really loved the sound of Beca playing guitar. If she was honest, she found it really sexy to watch too.

**Don't lie, bright eyes  
** **Is it me that you see when you fall asleep?  
** **Cause I know it's you I dream about every night  
** **Giving me a feeling like**

**Love in the summer  
** **Way I've never felt with another  
** **Don't lie, bright eyes  
** **Is it me that you see?  
** **Tell me I'm not dreaming alone**

As Beca strummed the chords, she patiently waited for her turn. The two would be harmonizing towards the end. But now was Chloe's time to shine. And Beca was all for giving that to her girlfriend. The DJ was always captivated by the melodious soprano voice that the redhead possessed.

**The story starts lying in the dark broken and bruised  
** **I count the scars left in my heart from losing you  
** **And I was wrong but let's be honest you were too  
** **I miss the part where I was falling hard for you**

Chloe continued to hit her piano chords as Beca sang the second verse. The alto belt of the DJ was a vast contrast to Chloe's higher voice, but they still managed to compliment each other very well. As the two sang, the audience was entranced by the performance. The two women were obviously very talented and it showed. There wasn't a peep from anyone in the room. They were all too busy listening to the music.

**So don't lie, bright eyes  
** **Is it me that you see when you fall asleep?  
** **Cause I know it's you I dream about every night  
** **Giving me this feeling like**

**Love in the summer  
** **Way I've never felt with another  
** **Don't lie, bright eyes  
** **Is it me that you see?  
** **Tell me I'm not dreaming alone**

. As Chloe played, she also kept her eyes trained on Beca. The DJ's foot was tapping and her body bouncing to the beat of the song. Her head was even slightly bobbing as her eyes occasionally fluttered shut. Chloe couldn't help but find it cute. Beca got so into the music. One of the many things that Chloe loved about her girlfriend.

**I can't take back the things I said  
** **And I won't say that I regret  
** **Any day that I was yours**

Chloe came in on the first line, Beca on the second and harmonizing on the third. The transition was done flawlessly. The two smiled as they hit the bridge. It had probably been one of the hardest parts to get right during rehearsal. Picking up the cues and hints as to when to come in wasn't as easy as it looked. And it also set the speed for their harmonization on the last chorus.

**Don't lie, bright eyes  
** **I know it's me that you see when you fall asleep  
** **And you know it's you I dream about every night  
** **Giving me this feeling like**

**Love in the summer  
** **Way I've never felt with any other  
** **Don't lie, bright eyes  
** **It'll always be you and me, so why are we dreaming alone?  
** **Woah oh, woah oh, woah oh  
** **It'll always be you and me, so why are we dreaming alone?**

As the two finished the song, they were greeted by loud cheers and screams from the audience. Many people standing up from their seats to show their appreciation of the song. Beca allowed a small smile to grace her features as Chloe stood from the piano bench to wave at the audience, a wide grin on her face. Before heading back to her chair, Beca gave Chloe a subtle thumbs up. A job well done.

* * *

Chloe's solo performance was up next, but in between then, Jesse would be singing his solo and Stacie would be doing her original as well. She wished Jesse good luck as she passed him backstage.

"Thanks, Chloe. Good stuff out there so far." He returned before heading out. Chloe wasn't all that interested in watching the performances, but as Carson announced the artist, she knew she'd at least be listening to him. The male had chosen to sing Magic, by BoB. A pretty upbeat track to follow up the more subdued track Beca and Chloe had just done. Probably a good decision. It was dreary to listen to two slow songs in a row.

Stacie sought out the redhead before she went on. "Wish me luck?" She said, approaching her friend.

"Of course! Best of luck Stace. I can't wait to hear your original." Stacie bit her lip.

"I hope it's good. Sometimes I feel like things I think are great, aren't actually any good." Stacie trailed off.

"Hey! I'm sure it's amazing! You're Stacie Conrad. You can do anything." The two laughed.

"Thanks Chlo. For everything." Chloe nodded.

"What good are friends if they're not super supportive?"

"I'll give you that one."

Before Chloe had the chance to reply, Stacie was called to the wings. Giving her friend a nervous look, she turned and walked off. Chloe made to follow her, so she could have a better view of her friend. She wasn't able to see much, but she did catch a few lyrics to Stacie's song, Maybe, Possibly.

**That maybe, possibly I was the best I don't compare to the rest  
** **And maybe, possibly you make me aware of everything I say and do  
** **And maybe, possibly I still want you**

The atmosphere of a breakup song was a little surprising to Chloe. Stacie never pegged her as the kind of person that regretted anything in relation to her love life. But she guessed that everyone had the one relationship that went sour. Even the redhead had that at one point. Although, she knew that she and Beca wouldn't. She knew that even if the two broke up somewhere down the line, it would never end in anger or regret. Or at least, she hoped it wouldn't.

Chloe was up after Stacie, so as the brunette came to the end of her song, Chloe was ushered backstage to wait to go on. As the tall brunette walked off stage, Chloe managed to briefly catch her by the arm, giving her approval of the song.

"Next up, singing _Burn_ by Ellie Goulding, Chloe Beale everybody!" The crowd cheered for the redhead as she grabbed her microphone and walked out on stage. This was going to be her real, flash and wow factor song. The lights and sparks had been set up to go off on intervals during her performance, many of them on the chorus.

Beca had initially been unsure about the song but trusted that Chloe would figure it out. And from what the DJ had heard in rehearsals, she did it quite well. It wasn't one hundred percent on point, but it was good none the less.

**We, we don't have to worry 'bout nothing  
** **'Cause we got the fire, and we're burning one hell of a something  
** **They, they gonna see us from outer space, outer space  
** **Light it up, like we're the stars of the human race, human race**

Ellie's voice was certainly one that was not one to be replicated easily. The sort of willowy sound was hard to hit for anyone. So, Chloe didn't try. Instead, she took the beat and the lyrics and fit them to her own voice.

**When the light started out they don't know what they heard  
** **Strike the match, play it loud, giving love to the world  
** **We'll be raising our hands, shining up to the sky  
** **'Cause we got the fire, fire, fire  
** **Yeah we got the fire, fire, fire**

As Chloe entered the chorus, the lights went off around her, bright and flashing as they were. A few sparks ticked and sprayed. Chloe danced along with the song, bringing the energy necessary to pull this off.

**And we gonna let it burn, burn, burn, burn  
** **We gonna let it burn, burn, burn, burn  
** **Gonna let it burn, burn, burn, burn  
** **We gonna let it burn, burn, burn, burn**

The meat of the chorus was really where Chloe let her performance skills speak for themselves. It was also the only part of the song where she could really let it go. The audience whistled, some waving their arms in the air as she sang. As she sang, Chloe knew that this wasn't her strongest performance, but she'd have to make the most of it. But she figured that you win some, you lose some. But she still didn't regret her choice.

As she finished the song, the coaches clapped in their seats. They had a few comments, most of which entailed her 'firecracker' status still being intact, but her voice not really suited for the song. Which she agreed with. Then she scampered backstage to wait it out until it was her turn to go on for her original.

This was the most nerve-wracking part for Chloe and consequently, she didn't pay much attention to who was singing what. She thought she caught snippets of songs like _Earned It_ by The Weeknd and _Set Fire to The Rain_ by Adele. Although she couldn't really place who did what. Although, a single song did catch her attention. Emily's original.

**I got all I need when I got you and I  
** **I look around me, and see a sweet life  
** **I'm stuck in the dark but you're my flashlight  
** **You're getting me, getting me, through the night**

**Kickstart my heart when you shine it in my eyes  
** **Can't lie, it's a sweet life  
** **Stuck in the dark but you're my flashlight  
** **You're getting me, getting me, through the night**

Chloe didn't know if it was the melody or the lyrics that she liked more. As she listened, she could hear the soul in Emily's voice and felt the emotions that must have gone into the song. Chloe had to admit, the young artist could really write.

* * *

And then it came Chloe's turn to bat. She had obviously forgone the piano for this since she and Beca had added in so much on the soundboard. She had also forgone the microphone stand, feeling that this song required a little bit more moving around than the stand gave her.

As she stood on stage, the fist-pumping beat came over the room. She smiled as she could detect some people in the audience doing just that, pumping their fists in the air to the beat.

**Closet full of secrets and skeletons awakes but nothing's true  
** **I used to own a castle now it's boxes that I have to move  
** **Right here in the darkness there's nothing left for me to do  
** **It's easier to run away but today  
** **Today we got to**

Chloe had written this song a year or so ago when she was in a particularly bad place. She just needed to get her feelings out on paper. But she didn't get too far into the song before her life started looking up. As her feelings got more and more positive, so did the song.

**Cast the shadows out from sight  
** **A final stand a shouting cry  
** **All the wrongs now turned to right  
** **So fight the past  
** **Take back the night**

**And call upon the torch tonight  
** **To bring out all the ghosts to light  
** **Because at last we have to go it's time  
** **To take back the night**

Chloe really felt the emotion with this song, so as she sang, she really belt out all the high and hard notes. The chorus had represented picking herself up off the ground and finding the power to go on. Life was hard, but with enough determination one could do anything.

**Bridges burned and broken on different sides we start anew  
** **Being chased by monsters to face head on or be consumed  
** **Reaching out for something grasping on to nothing to lose  
** **Paybacks left too long unpaid but today  
** **Today we got to**

Starting over was a huge thing for her too. Chloe had felt that the lyrics to this verse were pretty self-explanatory.

**Cast the shadows out from sight  
** **A final stand a shouting cry  
** **All the wrongs now turned to right  
** **So fight the past  
** **Take back the night**

**And call upon the torch tonight  
** **To bring out all the ghosts to light  
** **Because at last we have to go it's time  
** **To take back the night**

As Chloe finished her song, the crowd went wild. Even the judges were on their feet. Chloe felt a huge wave of relief come over her. She had hoped that her song wasn't complete crap, but this was more than she had hoped for. The redhead looked down at Beca, who was smiling brightly, clapping along with her fellow coaches. Chloe shot Beca a short, but wide grin before hightailing it off stage.

Where she was met by Emily Junk of all people. "I really liked your song, Chloe." The redhead blushed a little. She thought that the young artist's song had blown hers out of the water. And to have that very artist compliment her own work was flattering.

"Thanks, but it was nothing compared to yours." Emily just waved her off.

"That's not true, but thank you. What's the title of yours?" Chloe raised an eyebrow.

"I'll tell you mine if you'll tell me yours." Emily laughed.

"Sure, mine's Flashlight. Simple enough, right?" Chloe nodded.

"Well, mine's Take Back the Night." Emily nodded.

"Empowering. I like it." The brunette beamed. "It's not everyday that you hear songs like that. Lucky audience tonight I guess." Chloe chuckled.

"I suppose they are. Well, best of luck tonight. You still have your solo to go, right?" Emily nodded.

"Yep. It's kind of crazy, isn't it? We're almost at the end. Like, it's all over tomorrow. At least, for three of us." Chloe had the agree with the young artist. It was an odd feeling. Now that Chloe's performances were all finished, all she had to do was wait. She and Beca had planned to spend some time together that night at Chloe's apartment, if they managed to avoid the paparazzi all night. Which Chloe dearly hoped they'd be able to. She hadn't really had much quality time with her girlfriend for the last couple of weeks.

It would also be nice to just relax a little bit before the biggest night of her life this far.

"For sure. Well, I won't keep you. Good luck tonight." Emily gave Chloe an appreciative look.

"Thanks, Chloe, I'm probably going to need it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like.. this was really short for what it was supposed to be. But in all honesty, it's just a song filled chapter. I don't really know what I was expecting, but yeah. This is what you're getting. Songs. Songs galore. To be honest, probably not an interesting chapter for those of you who just skip lyrics. But really, honestly, I encourage you to listen to the songs as you read. I find that reading the lyrics along with the song makes it a lot more engaging. And since the playlist is on my YouTube channel, they're all easy to find!


	27. The Winner Of Season Nine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song(s) Used: Evolution Of Beyonce - Pentatonix

Thankfully, after the final performances, Chloe and Beca had managed to give the paparazzi the slip and headed back to Beca's apartment. The couple collapsed on the couch in Beca's bedroom together, Chloe snuggling up to the DJ, laying her head on the shorter woman's shoulder. Beca wrapped an arm around Chloe's shoulder, pulling her closer, kissing the top of her head.

"How're you doing Chlo?" She asked. It had been a big night for everyone. Chloe sat in silence for a couple minutes before responding.

"It almost feels like a dream, you know? It's all over tomorrow. I mean, we have a full day, preparing for the final show, but still. The hard stuff is over with. It's now just waiting for the results. This has been my life for months. I almost don't know what to do with myself when we wrap." Beca squeezed Chloe's shoulder gently.

"You're going to go out there, score a big-time recording deal and become the next top artist is what you're going to do with yourself," Beca said in a matter of factly tone of voice. Chloe chuckled.

"That's a distinct possibility. But we don't know that for sure." The DJ shook her head.

"I do. I know that even if you don't win, you'll have half the producers in LA eating out of the palm of your hand." This time Chloe let out a real laugh.

"Too bad I only have my eyes on one producer." Beca gave Chloe an innocent look.

"And what producer would that be?" Chloe rolled her eyes, knowing her girlfriend was being sarcastic when she said that.

"I don't know. Pharrell seemed like he was interested in my skills." The redhead teased. Beca's eyes shot to meet Chloe's gleaming ones. The DJ just huffed.

"Like hell, I'm going to let Pharrell steal my girlfriend and her talent from me." Chloe giggled at Beca's possessiveness a little bit before leaning up to kiss the brunette on the cheek.

"Don't worry Becs. I'm all yours. You know that." Beca nodded.

"Of course I do. But what I said is true, though. I'd fight Pharrell tooth and nail if I had to." Chloe reached out to intertwine her fingers with Beca's.

"I know you would. But luckily for you, you won't have to." The DJ ran her thumb over the back of Chloe's hand.

"Good." The couple sat in silence for a while, simply staring out into the night sky from Beca's penthouse apartment. The large windows plastered around them instead of walls afforded them a beautiful view of the city. Chloe even thought that it might even be a better view than from Beca's office. The DJ's apartment felt more.. homey. The office was for work, but Beca's apartment was her living space, where Chloe really got a glimpse into the person that was Beca Mitchell.

Obviously, there was a massive amount of music equipment scattered throughout the place. Beca had all sorts of personal mixing boards, different types of guitars hung up on the wall, and one massive computer setup; dual monitors, pop filter microphone, everything. It screamed Beca. The one thing that Chloe noticed was missing, was pictures. Well, there were a number of paintings along what few actual walls there were.

"Hey Becs, can I ask you a sort of personal question?" The woman in question looked down at the redhead still cuddled into her side and nodded.

"Of course. What's up?" Ever since their little disagreement a couple weeks ago, Beca had been trying to be more open and forthcoming with the redhead. So, in that respect, she even welcomed personal questions. Chloe was trying to get to know her, understand her. Beca could respect that.

"Why don't you have any photographs of yourself or family hung up?" Beca glanced around her apartment, knowing that Chloe was right. The answer, however, was not that easy.

"Honestly? My childhood isn't something I'm overly eager to remember. It wasn't all sunshine and daisies. I mean, I lived comfortably enough with my mom. But when my parents divorced, I took it pretty hard. It was easier to throw myself into music, rather than face my now screwed up family." Chloe looked sympathetically at her girlfriend.

"But surely there were some good times too?" Beca nodded.

"Of course there were. I was far from abused as a kid. My own trust and commitment issues came from myself really. No one really, actively tried to break that. It was just a byproduct of the shitty hand life gave me. But those few good moments hardly seemed worth remembering." Chloe reached up with her free hand to stroke Beca's cheek softly. The DJ closed her eyes, leaning into Chloe's touch.

"Well, let me help you make new memories. Better ones this time. Ones that are worth remembering." Beca smiled, eyes still shut.

"I'd like that, a lot." She murmured. Beca felt Chloe shift her position next to her and before she knew it, she felt the redhead's soft lips pressed up against hers. That feeling of contentment washed over her as Beca kissed her girlfriend back, their hands still joined together.

Chloe stretched herself up to her full sitting height, so she was now leaning down to meet Beca's lips. Almost reflexively, she bounced up from her seat on the couch to straddling Beca's lap. The DJ let out a slight gasp from the sudden contact and movement but obviously didn't complain. Chloe brought both her hands up to Beca's face, pulling her girlfriend closer to her.

Beca's hands rested on Chloe's hips as the two fought each other for control. As the two battled, Chloe's hands sneakily went to the collar of Beca's flannel, unbuttoning the shirt slowly, revealing the tank top that lie beneath. Beca lifted her back up off the couch to shrug the shirt off of her shoulders before settling back into her seat.

Meanwhile, Beca's hands ran themselves up and down the redhead's sides, slipping under the baggy shirt she was wearing. Beca felt Chloe's skin erupt in goosebumps that the soft contact. The brunette smirked to herself, knowing the effect she had on Chloe. The woman in question pulled back an inch.

"Stop smiling like that. I know you feel the same way I do." She murmured before crashing her lips back into Beca's. And of course, the DJ couldn't deny the statement. Her body responded in exactly the same way to Chloe's touch. Speaking of which, she felt the redhead's hand run along the bottom of her tank top, starting to pull the fabric over the DJ's head.

The couple had never gone this far before, but in the heat of the moment and the gravity of the night, neither of them wanted to stop. Beca broke the kiss, allowing Chloe to pull the top over her head, leaving the brunette in her bra and jeans. Chloe's hands took advantage of the new position, taking the time to run her fingers along Beca's abs, which were pretty well defined from working out.

Beca pulled back again, needing air. "Chlo.." She gasped out. "We…" Chloe shushed her girlfriend.

"Let me help you make new memories Becs. We've waited long enough, please.." Beca's eyes darkened as Chloe pulled the shirt over the head, now leaving herself clothed only in her bra and a pair of track shorts. 'Screw the rules.' Beca thought to herself before grabbing Chloe by the waist, pulling her closer with surprising strength. The redhead yelped slightly before meeting Beca's lips again.

In another display of unexpected strength, Beca wrapped her hands around Chloe's thighs, lifting her up off the couch, and nearly running her over to the producer's mattress. The singer wrapped her arms around Beca's neck as the DJ placed her in the middle of her bed, topping the redhead.

"Give me something worth remembering."

* * *

The sound of an alarm clock woke Chloe the next morning. Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, she sat up, taking in her surroundings. Shaking her head a little bit, she found herself not lying in her own bed, rather someone else's. And the memories came rushing back. Chloe sat up, looking over to her side, seeing Beca curled up, covers pulled up over her head. Chloe giggled a little before pulling them back, revealing a very naked Beca Mitchell trying to go back to sleep.

The DJ turned to look up at Chloe, meeting her electric blue eyes. A smile immediately took over Beca's face. "Morning Chlo." The singer returned the grin, before leaning down to kiss her girlfriend.

"Good morning. You know, we have a busy day today. We probably should get up and at 'em." Beca groaned but knew that Chloe was right. Grabbing a sheet to cover her body, she sat up next to Chloe.

"Fine." She grumbled. She got up out of the bed, grabbing the nearest shirt, pulling it over her head. "If you want to borrow something of mine, you're welcome to my closet if you can find something that fits. I'll go make coffee if you want to shower or something. Bathroom is through that door." Beca pointed at a wooden door to their left. Chloe nodded before getting up and headed for a quick shower.

Beca wandered over to her kitchen to make a couple cups of coffee. As she did, her mind wandered over to the previous night. She didn't regret a thing of course, but she only hoped that Chloe didn't either. The redhead had certainly lived up to her firecracker nickname. Lost in her thoughts of their night together, she didn't hear Chloe exit the bathroom, a towel wrapped around her body.

She jumped a little bit when Chloe approached her from behind, wrapping her arms around the DJ's waist, kissing her neck. When the shock wore off, Beca leaned back into Chloe's arms. "You seemed deep in thought." Beca swallowed, very aware of how close the redhead was to her, in nothing but a towel.

"I might have been thinking about last night," Chloe smirked to herself.

"Good, no second thoughts?" Beca shook her head.

"Of course not. You?"

"No. Everything was perfect." Chloe rest her chin on Beca's shoulder.

"Chlo, not that I don't enjoy this, but shouldn't you get dressed, we do have a show to prepare for tonight." The redhead groaned but released her girlfriend before beelining for the closest to find something of Beca's that fit her. She grabbed a different pair of track shorts along with one of Beca's hoodies. She figured they could stop by her apartment so she could grab some of her own clothes. It probably wouldn't do to show up on set wearing Beca's.

* * *

By another stroke of luck, the couple had eluded reporters and made it successfully to Chloe's apartment and then to the set without detection. Which was a lucky break for them. Beca bid Chloe goodbye since she had a performance that night that she and Aubrey needed to do some last minute practicing on. Chloe was going to be performing a couple of times that night for their grand finale. Notably, they had booked Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars to sing _Uptown Funk_ with her. They had met and rehearsed the previous week, along with all the other preparations that Chloe had been doing.

At some point during the day, Chloe had seen and spoken to all the other artists, even seeing a few on set that had been eliminated earlier in the season who were back to do one last performance. She noticed Jessica and Benji in particular, both of whom had pulled her in for a tight group hug before telling her that they were rooting for her. She was extremely grateful and spent a little bit of time catching up before she had to scamper off.

* * *

"You have a glow about you Beca. Want to tell me what's up, or should I guess?" Aubrey asked the DJ. But by the blush that graced Beca's cheeks, the blonde had a pretty good idea of what went on, involving the redhead. "Nevermind, I think I have it figured out." Beca looked at the other singer, sheepishly.

"I… yeah." She didn't really know what to say. What does one say when their friend basically said 'you had sex last night didn't you?' Nothing much. She wasn't going to deny it.

"Does she make you happy?" Aubrey abruptly asked. Like Beca had to think about that question.

"More than anything. Last night was literally one of the best nights of my life." Aubrey curtly nodded.

"I hope it works out Becs. Really. She's a sweet girl." Beca nodded, knowing that it was nothing but the truth. Aubrey tossed Beca a microphone.

"You ready to go?" Beca nodded.

"Let's kill it out there then."

* * *

"Welcome to _The Voice_! Tonight is our big finale, where we will find out who is the winner of Season Nine! Thanks for tuning in. I'm Carson Daly and say hello to our coaches; Adam Levine, Aubrey Posen, Beca Mitchell, and Blake Shelton. We've got a jam-packed show tonight, with performances from all our finalists along with artists like Ellie Goulding, Pharrell Williams, Bruno Mars and Calvin Harris. But first, our finalists!" The crowd cheered.

"Stacie Conrad!" The tall brunette stepped up on stage from her hiding place in the audience, waving at the people watching that night.

"Jesse Swanson!" The male also took his place on stage after pulling Stacie into a hug.

"Chloe Beale!" The exuberant redhead got up on stage, standing in between Stacie and Jesse, both of the other artists had an arm wrapped around Chloe's shoulders.

"And Emily Junk!" The youngest artist of three got up there last, as Stacie pulled her into her other side so the four were huddled in a group in the middle of the stage.

"Tonight, we'll find out which one of these artists will walk away with a recording contract and the title of The Voice of America. But first, Ellie Goulding singing _Love Me Like You Do!"_

* * *

The rest of the show went by like any other show, except it felt so much more laid back to Chloe and her fellow artists. There was no judging these performances, no competing against each other, it was simply singing to sing. Chloe had been joined on stage by some of her former teammates such as Donald and Bumper, of all people, for a final performance of _Counting Stars._

Aubrey and Beca had even gotten the a capella group, Pentatonix to perform their Beyonce medley on the show with them, which was easily a fan favorite. As Chloe watched, she truly had to appreciate how well Aubrey and Beca performed together when they weren't fighting. Not to mention getting a glimpse into Beca's a capella background was something new and something Chloe wanted to find out more about.

**Can you pay my bills  
** **Can you pay my telephone bills  
** **Can you pay my automo-bills  
** **If you did then maybe we could chill  
** **I don't think you do  
** **So, you and me are through**

The group had managed to rework the arrangement to fit Beca and Aubrey into it, graciously enough. Working new voices into an a capella piece was more difficult than adding people into a simple run of the mill performance. Of course, it helped that both artists had a capella background.

**I look and stare so deep in your eyes  
** **I touch on you more and more every time  
** **When you leave, I'm begging you not to go  
** **Call your name two or three times in a row**

The entire arrangement was approximately five and a half minutes, but the group along with the two coaches managed to keep everyone's attention for the full amount of time. It wasn't every day that you saw two former rivals harmonize over Beyonce songs.

**My guilty pleasure-I ain't going nowhere  
** **You can be my sweet dream or a beautiful nightmare,  
** **either way I don't want to wake up from you.**

As the two had been rehearsing along with Pentatonix, they had really remembered how well they sang together when they tried. It made both women want to try more things like this in the future.

**Hit me like a ray of sun  
** **Burning through my darkest night  
** **You're the only one that I want  
** **Think I'm addicted to your light.**

**I was here (halo)  
** **I lived (I can see your halo) I loved.  
** **I was here (halo)  
** **Halo.**

**You're everything I need and more  
** **It's written all over your face  
** **Baby, I can feel your halo  
** **Pray it won't fade away**

The audience, along with all the contestants and the remaining coaches went wild. Aubrey and Beca smiled at each other before bowing and presenting Pentatonix, who also took a bow. The seven individuals waved at the audience before the a capella group proceeded off stage while Beca and Aubrey went back to their chairs.

And then it was the moment everyone had been waiting for. "It's time, to reveal the winner of _The Voice_!" Carson announced as the four artists stood on stage. The stage dimmed, only the blue backlights providing the lighting.

"Before we reveal the winner, I want to ask you all a question. Chloe, you've had a number of close calls with elimination this season, how does it feel to finally be standing here?" Chloe gulped.

"It's very humbling actually. Knowing that there are artists on this show that could easily beat me only made me work harder. Also admittedly, knowing I'd be going up against Jesse again gave me some good motivation." Everyone laughed, include the brunette artist himself.

"Stacie, you and Chloe seem to have stuck a very close friendship, has that put any strain on the competition?" Stacie looked at Chloe then back at Carson.

"I'd like to think no. It's both of our dreams to walk away from this a winner, but ultimately only one of us will. We knew that coming in and becoming friends with this firecracker, I'm walking away a winner anyways." A number of people in the crowd let out a sigh of 'awe.' Chloe looked up to Stacie reassuringly, letting her know that she felt the same.

"Jesse, you're the only guy up here tonight, did that motivate you?" Jesse shook his head.

"At the end of the day, we're all artists Carson. None of us are like the others, all three of the girls are distinctly different. I might have a lower voice and different body parts, but I don't think that was really the focus of my training."

"And Emily, you've been the underdog all season. And who doesn't love the underdog. How does it feel to be up here with these artists?" He asked. Emily bit her lip.

"It's very surreal. I always hoped that I'd make it here, but you're right. It's been an uphill battle. To finally stand up here with these guys feels amazing."

"Well, you heard it, folks. And now, it's time." Carson paused. Chloe swore that was one thing she wasn't going to miss. "In fourth place…" Chloe grit her teeth. "We have.." Crossed her fingers. "Jesse Swanson!" Chloe let out a sigh of relief but still felt a little bad for her fellow artist, who had a little bit of a dejected look on his face as he stepped away from the girls.

Aubrey got up to give her team member a hug before releasing him, clapping along with everyone else. "And in third place…" All three girls were crowded together, Chloe in the middle with arms wrapped around her shoulders. "We have.." Chloe felt someone grip her shoulder tighter, but couldn't really figure out who it was. "Emily Junk!" The young brunette nodded, also sad she didn't win, but proud that she had made it into the top three. That in and of itself was a feat. She stepped away from Stacie and Chloe, clapping as well.

"And now, Stacie, Chloe; one of you will be walking away as winner of _The Voice._ " Stacie pulled the redhead in closer in anticipation. "And the winner of Season Nine…" The last few pauses of the season. "Is…"

"Stacie Conrad!" Stacie squealed a little bit. Chloe deflated a little bit, but at the same time, she was extremely excited and happy for her friend. She knew that if she had to lose to anyone, she wanted it to be Stacie. The redhead nearly tackled her friend in for a hug, which the tall brunette returned, almost lifting her off the ground.

As Carson closed the show and the cameras zoomed out, Stacie let go of Chloe. "Congratulations Stace, you really deserve this you know." Stacie sadly smiled.

"I.. I guess." She shrugged. And the redhead slapped her on the shoulder.

"Stop being so nonchalant about this! I did not just lose to you for you to brush it off." Stacie had the decency to look a little sheepish.

"Sorry, I just didn't want to rub it in, you know?" Chloe's facial features softened.

"It's okay. I made second place, that's got to count for something right?" Stacie nodded.

"Yeah, for sure. Anyways, I think there's a certain DJ that wants to talk to you. I'll see you later?" Chloe nodded before turning to see Beca waiting for her to be done talking. The producer beckoned her over.

"You know, I think it might be the best day of your life today." Chloe furrowed her brow.

"Why do you say that?" Beca had that mischievous look in her eye.

"Well.. Let's just say that you won, hmm? I know for a fact you'd be locked into an exclusive contract with Epic. And then you wouldn't get to work with other producers, say Mitchell Records until that one expired." Beca said with a smug smile. Chloe's eyebrows shot up.

"You… Are you saying what I think you are?" Beca nodded.

"It was really hard for me to not tell you this morning. Is it bad that I was hoping you didn't win? It is. I know. But yeah, we want to offer you a full record contract, and of course, I'd be producing." Chloe almost screamed before throwing herself into Beca's outstretched arms, not caring who saw. It took a lot to not kiss the DJ senseless, but after all, they weren't fully released from their contracts with NBC yet. Not until everything was settled.

But Beca was right, this was the best day of Chloe's life. Even though she had come in second, she had gained everything she came for and more. She got a couple of great friends, an amazing girlfriend, along with a record deal. She was a winner in her eyes. And that's all that really mattered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hope this story was everything you guys wanted. Well, maybe it wasn't since Chloe didn't win. But I mean.. Yeah. I explained that at the end. She's still a winner. And yes, I've had that planned since the beginning. There are a few chapter of epilogue as well as a smut outtake to upload, but the bulk of the story is finished. I hope everyone had a good time. This was one of my favorite stories to write honestly. It was basically my first foray into Pitch Perfect when I wrote it.


	28. A Few Months Later

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song(s) Used: Princess Charming - Megan and Liz

"Yes, Chloe! Good." Beca gave her girlfriend a thumbs up from behind the soundboard. Chloe nodded, smiling back at the producer sitting behind the glass. "Want to take a break? You've been in there for an hour or two."

"Yes please Becs," Chloe said into the microphone before taking the headphones off her head, setting them back in the stand. She exited the recording booth in Beca's studio to join her girlfriend on the couch. Placing a kiss on the DJ's forehead, Chloe plopped down onto the couch.

"So, how does it feel? Finally releasing songs that you've written yourself." Chloe thought for a second.

"Amazing. Really. I can't wait until the release date." Beca laughed.

"I remember a time a few months ago when you didn't want to sing your originals in front of other people, never mind looking forward to the day the entire country will get to own a copy of some of them." Chloe shrugged, she had changed a lot over the past few months.

After her loss on _The Voice_ , Chloe had instead gone on to work with Beca's label and release her own tracks. Thanks to her popularity on the show, there had been a hype and demand for her to release her own music. Which she was eternally grateful for.

And Beca had been such an asset over those past few months since the end of _The Voice._ More than just being her supportive girlfriend, she had been her hard-ass producer. Beca, regardless of her relationship with the artist, was a professional producer. She didn't baby her singers. And Chloe didn't expect anything different. They both understood that this was business, and while Chloe and Beca had gotten into a few arguments over her tracks, it wasn't anything serious. And they were easily able to forget it at the end of the day when they went home.

Kind of like a sports team where all drama is left off the field. All disagreements about her music were left in the studio, and they both understood that. At the end of the day, Beca only had Chloe's best interests at heart when she wanted the redhead to make changes. Which, of course, Chloe appreciated and usually took into consideration.

Life had generally been good to Chloe Beale after the show. Beyond Beca, she also had other benefits from the show. Stacie being one of the biggest. After her win, Stacie signed on with Epic and was also in the process of working on her first album. The two often spent time over dinner talking music, catching up and all that. Both girls were glad that their friendship had survived the ordeal. Often coming up short to a friend would breed resentment. But not for these two. Perhaps it was because Chloe still came out ahead, and in a better place than she could have imagined when she started.

But whatever the reason, the two remained close. Admittedly, Stacie had leaked a few details about her album to the redhead, and Chloe couldn't have been more excited for the album drop. There wasn't a date picked yet because Stacie still had a lot of work to do, but they were hoping it would be before the end of the year.

While Chloe on the other hand, her track drop date was in a couple of weeks. The label had done a good job of hyping the records and Chloe had been bombarded with notifications from Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and all other forms of social media about the excitement behind it. It had been extremely gratifying for the newbie artist. This was really going to be her first foray into the world of professional music and already people were excited for her. Some of the tabloids even speculated she might be the upcoming year's breakout artist. Which Chloe doubted, but it was nice none the less.

As for her relationship with Beca? That was going better than ever. Less than a month after the end of the show, the two had been able to go public with it. And while they had received some pushback for various reasons, most people had been extremely supportive. Of course, Aubrey and Stacie hadn't been surprised at all, but beyond them, it had been a little bit of a shock. Although, as to be expected, not as much as some might think. Everyone knew the two were close, just not everyone realized how close they would end up being.

Some critics believed that there Chloe was just using Beca, to progress as far as she did on _The Voice_ and then to get a record deal with her. And of course, some didn't approve of the fact they were both women. But they didn't let that get to them. The opinions of those people didn't matter.

But even then, most people thought they were a cute couple. They even had their own 'ship' name online; Bechloe. Both girls laughed over them having their own couple name. Beca didn't have much outside experience with it, but Chloe was quite the social media butterfly. She had run into them a fair few times. But she never imagined having her own.

And even a few months after going public with their relationship, Chloe still had to pinch herself sometimes. To make sure this was all real, that this was her life.

"Yeah, Becs. But back then I was a lot more insecure about my music. I've gotten over that, mostly. Thanks to you, Aubrey, Emily, and Stacie." Beca smiled, wrapping an arm around the redhead's shoulder.

"You know we'll always be there for you. We're your friends and more than that I'm your girlfriend. It's kind of my job." Beca said cheekily. Chloe laughed, lightly punching Beca on the shoulder, who mocked pain. "Jesus Beale, still haven't lost your abusive streak, though, have you?" Chloe shook her head.

"Only for you babe." Beca snorted.

"Oh, how fortunate I must be." She said sarcastically.

"You love me, don't even deny it." Beca stuck her tongue out at her girlfriend.

"You know I do." That was something that had changed about Beca over the last few months. Her insecurities had faded significantly. That's not to say they were gone of course. A couple of decades living with the same problems didn't go away instantly. But over time, Beca had come to really put all her trust in Chloe. The redhead still remembered the first time Beca actually said those words to her.

* * *

A couple months after the end of _The Voice_ left Stacie and Chloe very busy women. Both were now working on records for their labels; although Chloe was only working on singles and Stacie, an entire album. But they had managed to get together to catch up. Stacie brought along her new roommate, who was actually none other than Emily Junk. Now that was certainly an interesting turn of events that led to that development. And of course Chloe drug Beca along, and Beca, consequently drug Aubrey into their little group outing.

Chloe and Aubrey, over time, had developed something of a friendship. They weren't besties by any standard, that was more so Beca and Aubrey, but since Chloe was the girlfriend, they did spend a good deal of time in each other's company. And the fact that Aubrey was at one point, Chloe's coach helped matters.

As for Beca and Stacie. They were very much in the same boat as Chloe and Aubrey. They were friendly with each other, but not exactly best friends. They had gotten off to somewhat of a rocky start, but that was all in the past at this point, for everyone.

The girls had decided to just go out to dinner and catch up. Chloe still liked frequenting smaller, family owned places so she drug them all out to this really nice Italian place. She and Beca had been there on a couple of dates. The staff was friendly and the food was great.

They all spent the night eating and chatting about various things. With Beca, Chloe and Stacie stuck in the studio most of the time, their lives weren't too interesting. Emily, after her third place on _The Voice_ , actually ended up going back to school. Also, funnily enough, had joined her college's a capella team. Beca and Aubrey had a good laugh about that. Both of them offered to teach the younger girl a thing or two about a capella. Which Emily eagerly accepted.

As for Aubrey, she was still a full-time performer and was due to go on tour soon. She'd be traveling all over the country for a few months. She didn't exactly like being away from her home in LA for so long, but she loved performing and meeting her fans.

Most of the night was spent just being able to be together. But at the end of the night, Beca and Chloe wanted to spend a little bit of time to themselves. So Beca had driven them down to the LA beach. It was dark before the two got there, but that suited them fine. Less of a probability of getting harassed by paparazzi or seen by fans.

They walked along the ocean's edge, hand in hand. Beca gazed at her girlfriend who was watching the waves as the couple walked. Beca could easily admit that the redhead was one of the most gorgeous people she had ever met, and it was more than just looks, although that was a plus. Chloe was kind, loving, trusting, and just had a beautiful soul. Beca thought she was lucky that someone like her was interested in the DJ.

Beca had been subconsciously gripping Chloe's hand tighter. "Something wrong Becs?"

"Huh? Oh no. Just thinking." Chloe cocked her head to the side.

"What about? If you don't mind sharing that is." Beca shook her head.

"Oh, just about you."

"Oh? Anything interesting?" Beca debated with telling Chloe and decided to do it.

"Just how beautiful you are." She said, letting go of Chloe's hand, instead of resting it on her girlfriend's waist; pulling the girl closer to her. Beca leaned up a little bit, pressing her lips against Chloe's. The redhead grinned at the compliment as she returned the kiss. Making out on the beach in the moonlight, quite the cliche, Beca thought to herself.

"What brought this on?" Chloe asked. "Not that I'm complaining." She laughed.

"Just thinking. After hanging out with the girls tonight, I was just thinking about how I never imagined my life like this. It's great." Chloe nodded.

"I totally understand that. It's been crazy. Got some great friends and a girlfriend that I love." Beca smiled, knowing that she had actually never said those words to the redhead. She had shown it to her more than once, but maybe, Beca was finally ready to actually say it.

"I love you too Chlo." Beca grinned, proud of herself. It may have seemed like a small thing to most couples and most people, but both girls knew that Beca had a hard time with it. So with the utterance of those words, Chloe's eyes widened, a very large smile breaking out on her face as she threw her arms around Beca. The DJ tightly wrapped her arms around Chloe's waist, eyes closed as she buried her face into Chloe's shoulder.

"You know, I've known that for such a long time. But actually hearing you say the words out loud is really something else." Chloe whispered.

"I certainly am. If this is what I get every time I do, I'll tell you that every day."

* * *

Not the most romantic of moments, but it was a special night for both of them. "You ready to step back in the booth Chlo? We've got another couple of hours before we need to go get ready." The redhead nodded, untangling herself from the producer.

She headed back to the booth, opening the door and stepping in. She grabbed the headphones from their stand, jamming them back over her head, leaving one ear uncovered. Beca gave Chloe the thumbs up as she hit the playback button on the mixing board.

**You woke up, headaches  
** **Car won't start and you're already late  
** **So you drove fast, too fast  
** **Yeah, that was a cop you passed**

* * *

After they had finished up at the studio, the two went back to Beca's apartment to get ready for the night. Beca had been hired to DJ at Insanity that night and consequently, the owners had asked that Chloe to a song or two as well. The artist had gained a lot of momentum at that club, so she was more than happy to do so. Not to mention, she got free drinks there as well. Another benefit of being friends with the owners.

Beca hopped in the shower first, but not after trying to convince Chloe to join her. "C'mon Chlo, we'll save water that way." Chloe laughed but shook her head.

"Yeah, but we're not going to save time that way. And consequently probably end up wasting water too. I know that look." Beca looked offended.

"Are you insinuating that I can't keep my hands to myself?" Chloe shook her head innocently.

"Of course not, I'm saying that I can't keep my hands off of you." Beca chuckled.

"Well, if you put it that way, fine. But we will fix that later." Beca winked. Chloe laughed, slapping Beca's ass, pushing her towards the bathroom.

"Hurry up or we'll be late." Beca scampered off as Chloe went to go pick out an outfit. Beca had been trying to convince her girlfriend to move in with her since Chloe practically lived there anyways. She even had her own section in Beca's closet and drawers. And the redhead had been sidestepping giving Beca an answer for weeks. But now she was considering it. She was hardly at her own apartment and what was the point of paying for a space that she didn't even use?

Living together would be a real test of their relationship, but Chloe was certain it would be fine. The two almost lived together as it was. The redhead picked an outfit out of Beca's closet, deciding on a pair of black skinny jeans, along with a white tank top; coupled with a nice pair of heeled boots. Club outfit, but nice enough to perform in as well.

She flopped on the couch, skimming through one of the magazines that Beca had left on the coffee table. The couple didn't usually pay attention to the tabloids, but once in a while, they would pick one up, just to see the outrageous things the paparazzi were saying. This month actually had a story about the couple themselves. The article talked about Chloe's run on _The Voice_ along with her speculated relationships during that time, both with Beca and with Stacie. Along with a number of theories about how she and Beca's current relationship came to be. Although, none of them close to the truth.

Chloe heard the water shut off in the bathroom and her girlfriend open the door, letting the steam out. "Bathroom's all yours m'lady." Beca jokingly bowed, gesturing to the open door. Chloe giggled before getting up to beeline for the bathroom as Beca got herself ready for that night.

* * *

The couple arrived at the club a couple hours before Beca was set to spin so they had a little bit of time to themselves. A few people in the club that night asked for autographs and to take pictures with the couple, which they happily obliged.

This was something that many couples in their industry hated, but to Beca and Chloe, it was nice. Being able to show off their relationship. They had been hiding it for so long, that the ability to be a couple out in the open was refreshing. And they took as many opportunities as they could to do so.

And a couple hours later, plus a couple of drinks and the two were ready to get up on stage. Beca took her place behind the mixing board as someone handed a microphone to Chloe. "Hey out there LA, how's it hangin!?" There were a few cheers from the crowd. "I can't hear you!" The people on the dance floor cheered louder. "One more time, I still can't hear you!" And finally, almost everyone on the dance floor cheered for the DJ.

"Good, I can finally hear you. So LA, I've got a special guest up here tonight for you. She's someone really special in my life, so be nice to her." There were a few laughs and a number of screams, knowing who Beca was talking about. "Please give a warm welcome to my girlfriend, Chloe Beale!" Chloe walked out onto the stage, waving her free hand. "You ready for a show LA?" And she was greeted by screams and a few whistles. Boy did Chloe Beale love her life.

* * *

Beca and Chloe didn't get back to Beca's apartment until early in the morning at which point, Chloe just ended up sleeping with Beca. It's not like they hadn't shared the DJ's bed on many occasion, and not always just for sleeping. When Chloe woke up the next morning to find her girlfriend wrapped around her, using her chest as a pillow, Chloe sighed in contentment.

She spent a few minutes just watching the tiny brunette sleep, trailing her fingers up and down the DJ's bare skin. She felt Beca shiver a few times, but not wake up. Although a happy looking smile did overcome Beca's face as she slept. The producer truly seemed vulnerable as she slept, Chloe had noticed over time. Beca was a self-proclaimed bad ass and in some regards that were true. Of course, with Chloe and their other friends, the DJ was just a ball of fluff. But she always seemed to have this aura of toughness about her. But when she slept, all of that melted away.

As Chloe watched her girlfriend, Beca slowly started to wake up. Chloe felt the DJ stir and placed a kiss on the top of Beca's head. The DJ's eyes opened to be greeted by her redheaded girlfriend lying next to her. Or rather, under her. "Good morning." Beca smiled.

"Morning babe. How long have you been awake?" Chloe shrugged slightly.

"Not that long. I just like watching you sleep." Beca laughed a little.

"You know, anyone else telling me that would sound like a creep." Chloe snorted.

"Yeah, well. You've been using me as your pillow, there wasn't really anywhere for me to go." She said playfully. Beca stretched up to place a kiss on the redhead's cheek.

"You love me, though. So it's okay." She smirked.

"That's true I suppose. I guess I can forgive you for your hurtful words." Beca looked at her girlfriend innocently.

"Hey, I said anyone else. Not you, thank you very much." The DJ said indignantly. Chloe slapped her forehead.

"Of course, because that make so much of a difference." Beca flipped Chloe off and the redhead pretended to be offended, gasping at the rude hand gesture.

"Don't even pretend you're offended Beale. I know better." Chloe brushed her off.

"Whatever Becs. I feel like coffee, you want some? Random thought, I know." Beca looked up at her girlfriend.

"What I really want is for you to stay in this bed." Beca gave Chloe a suggestive look. The redhead raised an eyebrow and glanced over at the clock, it was already eleven in the morning, but also a Saturday. It wasn't like they had anything important to do.

"You're on Becs," Beca smirked.

"Is that a challenge?" Chloe gave Beca an almost defiant look.

"It might be. What of it?" Beca tossed the sheet off of the two of them suddenly, throwing a leg over Chloe so she was straddling the redhead's hips. She placed her hands on either side of Chloe's head.

"You know I never back down from a challenge." She leaned down to kiss the redhead on the lips. 'Screw morning breath' she figured.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Epilogue. So as you probably gathered, this is a few months into the future. When I write the sequel at some point, it'll probably be based a couple years into the future. This is kind of the go between for the two.
> 
> I tried to go with mostly fluff, coupled with some Bechloe cuteness, since all the drama of the show is in the past. I actually was thinking about Stacie's character and how developed she became despite the fact she was supposed to only be a minor character. I almost want to explore her person further in this universe. Hey, maybe another project for a different time.


	29. A Night Worth Remembering

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Smut Ahead

With Beca's body hovering over hers, Chloe grabbed on to the back of the DJ's neck and pulled the brunette's face down to hers, kissing her girlfriend hard. Beca groaned into the kiss, momentarily being lost in the feeling. Chloe took this distraction as her chance to flip the DJ onto her back. Beca squealed in surprise as Chloe climbed onto her girlfriend, her black and pink track shorts riding up her thighs a little bit.

Chloe's hands went to Beca's belt, unbuckling the strip of leather. She looked down at her girlfriend who's eyes were darkening as she bit her lip. "Are you sure about this Beca?" Chloe gave her girlfriend one last chance to back out. Because if they continued, the redhead wouldn't be able to stop.

The producer furiously nodded. "I will murder you if you stop Beale." Chloe giggled a little bit, but nodded, finishing her undoing of the belt buckle. She pulled Beca's jeans slowly down her legs, revealing more and more of Beca's pale skin. Chloe was sure her pupils were dilated beyond belief as she stared at the tiny body that lie on the bed beneath her. This was the first time she had seen this much skin of her girlfriend. And man did Chloe stare.

"You're absolutely gorgeous Beca." She murmured, lost in her appreciation of the producer's almost nude form. She was by no means the fittest human being in the world, but being a performer did have its benefits. Beca, on the other hand, blushed a deep shade of pink. She wasn't the most confident about her body but having the redhead sitting on top of her, staring at her like she was a Victoria's Secret model was flattering.

Chloe reached out to run her hand over Beca's stomach and abs. The brunette's skin erupted in goose bumps as the singer's hand glided over her body. Beca moaned slightly, which was like music to Chloe's ears. Beca's hands reached out to rest on Chloe's hip before moving lower to pull off the track shorts. The redhead lifted her body off her girlfriend slightly so Beca could pull the shorts off of her. Chloe helped Beca remove the shorts and went back to sitting on her girlfriend's body.

"Chlo…" Beca whispered, almost whimpered. The redhead snapped out of her near trance. She bit her lip before leaning down to smash her lips against Beca's. The heated kiss was certainly something else. The couple had their fair share of make outs, but this was different. This was much more erotic, the two knew they were about to take a huge step in their relationship, but they were both beyond ready.

Beca took this opportunity to run her hands up Chloe's sides before she focused on removing the redhead's bra from her body. Beca easily unclasped the offending article of clothing before tossing it somewhere, without a care where it landed. Chloe's nostrils flared as the cool air ran across her now nude upper body.

And then she let out a gasp, breaking the lip lock the two were engaged in, as Beca's hands wandered down the front of Chloe's body, The producer's hands cupped the redhead's breasts, softly groping her girlfriend's body. Chloe's eyes shut and the redhead let out a moan as Beca continued to play with her.

Beca lifted her back off the bed to attach her mouth to one of Chloe's nipples, causing the singer to let out a very loud moan. It was a good thing Beca had the penthouse apartment and didn't have neighbors. Despite the hazy mind Chloe had already, she managed to reach back and unclip Beca's bra. The producer shrugged off her bra before tossing it on the ground to join Chloe's.

Beca looked up at Chloe who was still straddling the brunette's lap. She could tell that Chloe was lost in a haze of sexual energy and arousal. And Beca wasn't too far behind her. Just looking at her girlfriend's nearly naked body turned her on beyond belief. But that wasn't enough for Beca. She went and hooked her fingers around Chloe's underwear, starting to pull the fabric off her girlfriend.

Chloe obliged and lifted her ass off of Beca's lap for a second, allowing the DJ to pull Chloe's underwear down her legs. Chloe got off the producer and lay on the bed next to her, pulling the article of clothing down the expanse of her legs, kicking it to the floor. Beca leaned down, bringing her lips back to meet the redheads. Beca rest most of her body weight on one elbow and let her free hand wander the expanse of Chloe's now fully naked body.

She marveled in the softness of Chloe's bare skin. The singer shivered as Beca's hand roamed her body. This was something Chloe was no stranger to, but it was special with Beca. The DJ was truly someone she loved. And that made all the difference. Chloe's stomach was in knots as Beca's hand moved lower, resting on the inside of her thigh, very close to her center.

Chloe could only handle so much of her girlfriend's teasing, though, so before long she grabbed Beca's hand and guided it towards her. Beca obviously got the hint. She broke the kiss before attaching her mouth to Chloe's neck, sucking on a pulse point. Chloe gasped as Beca's finger ran up and down her slit. "Wow Chlo, you're soaking." The redhead was in such a fog she could only moan in response.

As Beca felt the redhead's wetness, she couldn't help but feel a little smug. She had done that to her girlfriend. Beca was by no means an unskilled lover, but this was something else. Beca teased her girlfriend a little longer before plunging a finger into her. Chloe's back arched off the bed at the sudden intrusion, a groan being emitted along with it. Beca's fingers pumped in and out of the singer. Chloe's eyes were tightly shut, her hands grabbing onto the sheets she was lying on, toes curled.

Beca's tongue ran down Chloe's chest, before settling on her girlfriend's breast, her lips attached to her nipple. The redhead's back arched off the bed again, pushing her body into her girlfriend. Balancing her body weight on her elbow still, Beca managed to grab hold of one of her girlfriend's hands, intertwining their fingers. Chloe grabbed onto Beca's hand, squeezing it tightly.

Beca added another finger into her ministrations, pushing her index and middle finger into her girlfriend's body. Chloe let out another moan. "Becs.." She managed to gasp out. "I.." Chloe tried before she lost the ability to speak again as Beca pushed a third finger into her girlfriend's wet center.

Chloe's hips bucked up to meet the producer's fingers. It seemed the years of playing with soundboards really paid off. Beca continued to suck on her girlfriend's nipple as she ran her thumb over the redhead's clit. As she rubbed the sensitive ball of nerves, that was the final straw for Chloe. The redhead squealed a little as her inner walls closed in on Beca's fingers, bringing Chloe over the edge.

Beca felt her girlfriend falling, so she slowed her movements, although she kept her fingers buried inside the redhead's body. As Chloe came down from her high, her body relaxed back onto the bed, taking in deep breaths of air. Beca slowly removed her fingers from Chloe's slit before bringing them to her mouth, licking her girlfriend's juices off of them.

Beca had never really been into oral before, preferring to use her hands. But from the tangy yet sweet flavor of her girlfriend, she knew she needed to go down on the redhead at some point. But before she had the chance to pursue that line of thinking, Chloe surprisingly managed to pull her girlfriend's body on top of hers. With Beca hovering over her, Chloe wrapped her arms around the DJ's neck, pulling her down, smashing their lips together.

"God, I love you," Chloe mumbled. "You are amazing." Beca again, couldn't help but feel a little smug. She smirked a little bit, feeling proud of herself. Chloe laughed a little bit as she felt Beca smirk as the couple kissed.

"Proud of yourself are you?" Beca pulled back and nodded slightly.

"Compliments like that from your girlfriend are always nice." She said simply. Chloe got a mischievous look in her eye, which Beca noticed. "Chlo... What are you.." She started, but never finished because Chloe flipped her on her back, topping the DJ again.

"And I intend to pay you back in full," Chloe said seductively, running a single finger down Beca's middle, from the top of her breasts to the top of her underwear. She ran a finger along the piece of fabric. "Although, these need to come off. You've been wearing them for far too long." Beca's eyes darkened as she lifted her hips off the bed, allowing Chloe to pull the producer's underwear from her body.

Chloe sat back a little, drinking in Beca in all her naked glory. The brunette was truly beautiful in Chloe's eyes. The feeling of skin against bare skin was already turning Chloe on again. But this time, she'd be the one to pleasure her girlfriend. The redhead leaned in to place a kiss on Beca's forehead before moving downwards, kissing her girlfriend on the way down. A kiss on the lips, the neck, in the middle of her breasts.

The redhead looked up seductively at her girlfriend before running her tongue down the DJ's stomach, leaving a wet trail down the middle. Beca gasped, gripping Chloe's shoulders.

Before she knew it, Beca felt Chloe's warm breath up against her own dripping wet core. The anticipation was killing Beca, but the redhead continued to tease her, kissing the inside of her thighs. "Chlo, stop teasing.." Beca groaned. Chloe giggled at the brunette's frustration with her.

"Patience is a virtue Becs." Beca hissed as Chloe ran a finger from her clit, down her center.

"Screw patience Beale." Chloe laughed but took pity on her girlfriend, attaching her mouth to Beca. The producer let out a moan of pleasure as she felt Chloe's tongue run up and down her slit. Gripping at the sheets, Beca's body tensed as her girlfriend pleasured her. Chloe placed a hand on Beca's leg, pushing it back, opening the DJ's legs further.

As Beca hissed in pleasure, Chloe wrapped her arm around Beca's other leg, pulling back the hood on Beca's clit, running her tongue over the tiny nub. The producer let out a tiny squeal of pleasure as Chloe sucked on her clit. Beca was close to falling over the edge but wasn't quite there yet.

"Give me more Chlo." The brunette begged her girlfriend. And Chloe, being merciful complied, pushing two fingers into Beca's body. As she pulled her fingers out, Beca groaned before Chloe forcefully pushed them back in. She pushed into her girlfriend a few times before curling her fingers, looking for a certain spot inside her girlfriend.

When Beca let out a little scream, she knew she had found it. She rubbed her fingers against that spot as she continued to suck on Beca's little ball of nerves. And before long, Beca lost it. Her back arched off the bed, hips bucking violently. Chloe hooking her arms around Beca's legs, pinning the producer's hips to the bed, allowing her to lap up the juices pouring out of her girlfriend. Chloe, like Beca, had her share of experience with women, but Beca's taste was so uniquely Beca that she felt like she could do this every day and never get tired of it.

As Beca came down from her high, Chloe slid up next to her girlfriend, pressing her lips up against the DJ's. Beca tasted herself on Chloe's lips and that mixed with the natural taste of Chloe's lips wasn't as unpleasant as Beca had expected. In fact, she rather liked it. Beca snuggled into Chloe's side, throwing a leg across Chloe, leaning her head against Chloe's shoulder.

"You're amazing, you know that right?" Chloe nodded slightly.

"Of course I do." Beca smiled before placing a kiss behind Chloe's ear. The redhead shivered.

"This worth remembering?" Chloe grinned, knowing the answer. Beca laughed.

"I don't know. Maybe we should make sure I won't forget." Beca said cheekily. Chloe chuckled but pushed her body up off the bed to straddle her girlfriend. She placed her hands on either side of Beca's head.

"You're on Mitchell."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So everyone always asks me why I write smut outtakes, rather than just including them in the story. There're a couple of reasons. Some people that I've come across really don't care for smut. And while I don't particularly care about it one way or the other, I like writing my stories to where everyone can really enjoy them. Therefore, I want to include it, but I usually include it in outtakes. 
> 
> And I also don't think I write smut all that well. At least, not compared to my other writing. And I feel like my poorly written smut sometimes breaks up the flow of the rest of my writing. But also, people always ask me to write it, so I try.


	30. Three Years Later

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song(s) Used: Bad for Me - Megan and Liz

"You ready for this Chlo?" Beca asked her girlfriend as the waited backstage. The redhead turned to the DJ and nodded.

"As ready as I'll ever be." Beca smiled.

"Hey, you've performed bigger shows than this before," She said, placing a hand on Chloe's forearm. The singer rested a hand on top of Beca's.

"I know. I just… This is Aubrey's closing show on her tour. I don't want to fuck it up." Beca laughed.

"I know you don't, but just imagine the headlines if you do. _Grammy Award winning artist, Chloe Beale, flubs performance at the world-famous performer, Aubrey Posen's closing concert._ Publicity for months." Chloe buried her face in her hands.

"You're so not helping Becs!" The DJ pulled Chloe's hand away from her face.

"Hey, babe. I'm sorry. Just trying to lighten the mood. Please, don't worry. You'll be fine. It's been three years since you first started all of this. I believe in you." Chloe looked at the producer, enveloping her girlfriend in a tight hug.

"Thanks, Becs. I don't know if I could do this job without you." She whispered in the DJ's ear. Beca smiled.

"I'm sure you could babe. You are amazing, you don't need me to help you with that." Chloe chuckled. But she was forced to break her hug and be ushered into place before she had the chance to respond. She stood on the stage lift, waiting to be pulled up. Beca shot Chloe her signature double thumbs up.

Chloe heard Aubrey up on stage, introducing her. "We're finally at the conclusion of this year's world tour! And what kind of performer would I be if I didn't have someone truly special in store for you guys." The audience was cheering in anticipation. Chloe Beale's appearance was kept a secret, so no one knew who the surprise performance was going to be.

"I've had the pleasure of knowing this artist for a few years now, and being able to see her career grow into becoming a Grammy Award-winning artist. She's put in a lot of hard work to shoot to the top of the charts. And I'm incredibly lucky to call her my friend." The audience cheering in anticipation.

"Performing her summer hit _Bad for Me_ , Chloe Beale!" The audience went wild at the mention of the red-headed singer. Over the last three years, Chloe had certainly made a name for herself. After the release of her singles, people were clamoring for her to release an album, which she eventually did, with Beca's help of course. And within a year she was topping the Billboard charts and getting nominated for Grammys. And with the release of her first album, she had won the Grammy for Best New Artist and Album of the Year, along with Beca winning Producer of the Year, Non-Classical.

That had been a big year for the couple in regards to their music. And also their personal life. Shortly after she had released her first single, she had taken the plunge and moved in with Beca. The couple had their fair share of arguments towards the beginning though it was usually about little things about Beca picking her shirts up off the floor or Chloe leaving dirty dishes in the sink. But the pair was so in love with each other that these little things never seemed to last longer than ten minutes. And now three years later they couldn't have been happier.

As Aubrey had announced Chloe's name, Beca threw her a wide grin before the redhead was brought up from under the stage. The bright lights flashed around her as one of the spotlights targeted her. She waved with a smile to the audience who were screaming at the appearance of the singer. The beginning beats to her song started and as the song started, she could hear people singing along.

**I wore red cause you like that  
** **You're like hey, let me get that  
** **But when I text, you don't text back,  
** **No, you didn't cause you didn't care.**

**Well the game makes me crazy  
** **It's like yes, no, maybe,  
** **And you're calling me baby,  
** **When I know that you just don't care**

**Whoa-oa  
** **Sayin' that I'll quit but that's just not true  
** **Like w-whoa whoa  
** **I say I don't like it but you know I do**

This was really a moment where Chloe was thinking that she had finally made it. Performing with Aubrey Posen, and the entire crowd knew the lyrics to her song. She walked down the stage towards Aubrey who was beaming at her friend. The two had inevitably grown closer over the years, one with Aubrey being Beca's best friend and then a year after _The Voice_ , Stacie and Aubrey had begun dating, which was a shock for everyone. But looking back on it, the relationship made perfect sense. And as Stacie was Chloe's best friend, the four girls would double date all the time.

**Cause you make me feel so right,  
** **Even if it's so wrong  
** **I wanna scream out loud  
** **Boy, but I just bite my tongue**

**This one's for the girls messin' with boys  
** **Like he's the melody and she's background noise  
** **Baby why can't you see  
** **It feels so good, but you're so bad for me  
** **Ohh ohh  
** **It feels so good, but you're so bad for me  
** **Ohh ohh  
** **It feels so good but you're so bad for me**

This was, of course, not the first time Chloe had performed on tour, going on a few of her own over the years, but Aubrey's performance career still blew hers out of the water. The blonde had been at it much longer. The redhead was trying her hardest to sing her heart out, which, judging from the crowd, was working out quite well. Against the bright stage lights, she could see people out in the crowd arms flailing, dancing with the friends, singing the song.

**I always want what I can't have  
** **Give it all, never get half  
** **You're like girl where you been at  
** **And I really wanna just not care**

**But  
** **Whoa whoa  
** **Sayin that I'll quit but that's just not true  
** **Like w-whoa whoa  
** **I say I don't like it but you know I do**

The two performers had planned this as a duet, so Aubrey took the lead on the second verse and chorus with Chloe adding harmonization. Remembering back to when she and Aubrey worked on the skill during the show brought a smile to her face. It was memories like that that Chloe would treasure forever. The show had brought so much change to her life, none of which she would trade for anything. Because of it, she was here, living her dream, with an amazing girlfriend to boot. Nothing would ever top that for her.

**Cause you make me feel so right,  
** **Even if it's so wrong  
** **I wanna scream out loud  
** **Boy, but I just bite my tongue**

**This one's for the girls messin' with boys  
** **Like he's the melody and she's background noise  
** **Baby why can't you see  
** **It feels so good but you're so bad for me  
** **Ohh ohh  
** **It feels so good but you're so bad for me  
** **Ohh ohh  
** **It feels so good but you're so bad for me**

As the redhead watched Aubrey sing, she laughed and danced along to her friend's vocals. Even after three years, Chloe hadn't lost her flair for performing live. She was still as strong as ever, probably even better with experience. Aubrey and Chloe had walked to the edge of the stage, occasionally reaching down to touch some of the outstretched hands of the group. Chloe had always loved interacting with her fans. It was one of her favorite parts of her job, not that she hated any of it. But her fans, like any artist, felt special to her. They were the ones who had propelled her to where she was. The ones that got her through _The Voice_. To Chloe, they felt like a very large, excitable, extended family.

**I'm dying tonight  
** **Trying to hide, hide  
** **What I'm feeling, I'm feeling like**

**I'm dying tonight  
** **I'll keep it inside  
** **When I say hello, should be saying goodbye**

The two singers shared the chorus, each taking different lines. Aubrey looked over at her friend, who was preoccupied with pumping the crowd up. She smiled a little bit at the redhead. She had no idea what was in store for her that night. Aubrey was proud to be able to witness what was going to happen later on. But for now, she had to concentrate on finishing the set.

**Oh-oh  
** **You make me feel so right,  
** **Even if it's so wrong  
** **I wanna scream out loud  
** **Boy, but I just bite my tongue**

**This one's for the girls messin' with boys  
** **Like he's the melody and she's background noise  
** **Baby why can't you see  
** **It feels so good but you're so bad for me  
** **Ohh ohh  
** **It feels so good but you're so bad for me  
** **It feels so good but you're so bad for me  
** **You're so bad for me  
** **It feels so good but you're so bad for me**

As the duo finished the final chorus, the crowd cheered and screamed for the two performers. Aubrey and Chloe met in the middle of the stage. The blonde pulled her friend in for a tight hug before addressing the audience. "Give it up for Chloe Beale everyone!" The onlookers cheered, the roaring of the crowd filling Chloe's ears. She smiled and waved at everyone. Aubrey looked over to the side of the stage where Beca was waiting. She gave Beca a look and the DJ nodded, patting the pocket in her jacket.

"And I have one more surprise for everyone." Chloe raised an eyebrow. She hadn't expected Aubrey to tell her everything, but even she didn't know what was about to happen. "Well, this is probably more a surprise for Chloe, but you all get to watch." Chloe narrowed her eyes at her friend. Aubrey tactfully ignored her, though she didn't miss the look. "Well, I won't take up any more of her time, ladies, and gentlemen, my best friend, Beca Mitchell!"

Chloe whirled around to see Beca approaching her with a smile, albeit nervous look on her face. The crowd was in hysterics to see the couple on stage. A few of the onlookers were guessing what was about to happen, so they all pulled out their phones to record the moment. Chloe asked her girlfriend, "Becs, what is all of this?" Beca, in reply, held out her hand for Chloe to take, which the redhead did. Then Beca spoke into her microphone.

"Chloe. I'm guessing you're wondering what all of this is about, right?" The redhead nodded. "Well…" Beca sighed. "I'm really no good at this, you know that. But I'm going to try my best. Chloe, three years ago when I met you on _The Voice_ , I knew even then that you were something special. And though we didn't get together until after the show was over," A small lie, but necessary. "I always knew I wanted you in my life, be it as a friend, co-worker, or something more. I'm just incredibly lucky you wanted something more." Chloe's nostrils flared. She had a guess of where this was going and it was taking all of her to not burst into tears.

The audience was dead silent as Beca spoke. "You are and will always be the love of my life, that's never going to change. You're my best friend, my partner, even my best artist." The couple both chuckled. "I don't want to go another minute without giving you the one thing that I've wanted to for a very long time now." Beca let go of Chloe's hand, to pull a small box out of her pocket before getting down on one knee. Chloe now knew what this was about and she covered her mouth with both of her hands, tears starting to stream down her face. There was a number of cheers and whistles from the audience.

Beca opened the box to reveal a beautiful diamond ring, set into a silver band. "Chlo, you know how bad I am with feelings and words and you've still put up with me for the last three years. You make me want to be a better person. I couldn't imagine my life without you. So will you make me the happiest producer in the world? Will you marry me?" By now, Chloe was close to hyperventilating. The crowd around her seemed to melt away though all of them were screaming at the top of their lungs at what they had just witnessed. It was only her and Beca at this moment. The redhead dropped to her knees in front of Beca. She pulled Beca's face towards her and gave her a searing kiss that the entire crowd went wild for.

The couple pulled back, Beca with a goofy looking grin on her face."Is that a yes?" She asked her girlfriend. Chloe laughed through her tears.

"Oh my god, yes! Beca, I would love to marry you!" Beca grinned as she took the ring out of the box and slid it onto Chloe's ring finger. Putting the box back in her pocket, she threw her arms around her now fiance. The two laughed happily before standing up and looking out to the crowd. The entire stadium was cheering, whistling, screaming and all another manner of congratulatory sounds.

Aubrey walked over, surprisingly her hand intertwined with Stacie's. The taller brunette dropped Aubrey's hand when the couple noticed them and ran into Chloe's arms. "Congratulations Chlo. I'm so happy for you." She whispered into Chloe's ear. Chloe sniffed her tears back though a few tears still found their way down her cheek. As the two hugged, Aubrey stood over by Beca.

"You did good Becs," She said as the watched Chloe and Stacie in their embrace. Beca looked up at her friend.

"Thanks, and thank you for letting me do this. I couldn't have done this without you." Aubrey brushed it off.

"No, thank you Beca. For including me, allowing me to witness this." Chloe and Stacie finally broke their hug before going over to their significant others. Beca wrapped an arm around Chloe's waist and Aubrey took Stacie's hand again before Aubrey addressed the crowd.

"You heard it here first guys! My best friend Beca Mitchell finally had the guts to propose. And guess what? She said yes! Let me be the first to congratulate the couple. Beca, Chloe, I'm so happy for you two." The pair smiled back, though Beca, being Beca had to say something in response.

"Thanks, Bree, but hey. Your turn better be coming up soon." Aubrey blushed a little bit as the audience laughed. Chloe giggled at Aubrey's shyness over the entire thing. Maybe there would be another proposal at some point.

* * *

With Aubrey finishing her concert with Stacie, though, nothing could really compare to what just occurred, Chloe and Beca went backstage to wait for their friends. The minute the got off stage, Chloe slapped Beca, very hard, on the shoulder. "Ouch! Jesus Chloe, you still have lost the abusiveness, have you?"

"Beca Mitchell! You turned me into a blubbering mess in front of thousands of people!" Beca shrugged.

"Can you say that you didn't love it, though?" Chloe opened her mouth but then shut it. "That's what I thought. Look Chlo, I wouldn't have done that if I had even the slightest notion you wouldn't like it. We've even talked about our proposal dreams, that was one of yours. For someone to ask you at a concert, in front of your fans." Chloe laid her head on Beca's shoulder.

"I know I did. And I'm not mad. At all. It was perfect. I just, it was a surprise." Beca laughed.

"Aren't proposals supposed to be?" Chloe snuggled closer to her fiance, kissing her neck.

"Yes, I guess they are. Though when we get back home, I'm planning on getting you back. If you catch my meaning." Beca's pupils dilated slightly at the thought.

"I'm looking forward to it," Beca whispered. "But remember, we're going out with Aubrey and Stacie tonight too." Chloe nodded.

"Of course. I don't think I'd want to spend my night with anyone else. Besides you of course."

"Good. You are marrying me after all." Chloe laughed.

"I love you Beca," Chloe said quietly. Beca had an arm around Chloe's shoulder, so she pulled the redhead closer to her.

"I love you too Chlo."

* * *

_The Celebrity Proposal of the Century_

_By: John Nash_

_Last night was a big night for the music industry. Singer and performer, Aubrey Posen had her closing concert in LA last night and boy what a lot of people wouldn't give to go back in time and be there. The singer brought in both Chloe Beale and Stacie Conrad as guest performers, but that's not the big deal._

_No, the big deal is when producer, singer, and DJ Beca Mitchell graced the stage and proposed to her girlfriend of three years, Chloe Beale. Of course, the singer said yes. She'd have to crazy not to. For those of you that don't know, Mitchell and Beale met when Beale got onto The Voice. Mitchell stole the artist from her original coach, Aubrey Posen, who is now one of the couple's closest friends. But the couple hit it off and not long after the show ended, the two were in a committed relationship. There has been some speculation that the relationship began before the show ended, but no evidence has been found to support that rumor._

_But for those of you who weren't lucky enough to be present at the concert last night, which let's be honest, was most of us, watch the whole proposal below. Please, share your thoughts on the Beale/Mitchell engagement. Personally, here at Billboard, we wish the couple a happy and successful future._

Chloe shut the lid of her laptop before getting up from the couch, joining Beca in the kitchen. The brunette was sitting on a stool by the counter, lazily drinking a cup of coffee. Chloe approached her fiance from behind and wrapped her arms around Beca's waist. "Not that I'm surprised, but Billboard already published an article about the proposal. I'd be prepared for a whole lot of congratulatory texts, emails and calls today." Beca leaned back into Chloe's arms, resting against the redhead's chest.

"It's worth it. I'd rather deal with all of that, than not have proposed to you in the first place." Chloe smiled to herself, placing a kiss on the top of Beca's head.

"Well, I'd hope so," She said before Beca's cell phone buzzed on the counter. The brunette groaned before reaching for it. She opened the text to read it.

"Pharrell wanted to congratulate us, babe. Said he's happy for us and that he's expecting an invitation to the wedding." Chloe laughed.

"Of course we're inviting him." Beca's phone went off again. The couple sighed.

"It's going to be a long day," Beca said. Chloe squeezed Beca's waist, pulled her in closer.

"Yeah, but I wouldn't have it any other way."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eeee. I hope this was cute. I actually wrote this as a celebration that my story got 100k+ views on FFN, so you can thank FFN readers for this. 
> 
> So basically, this is the end of the story. I have started the sequel, but I but that on hiatus for a number of different reasons at the time, but now it's mostly that my inspiration is sitting with Supercorp, rather than Pitch Perfect. I do want to finish the sequel, but it's been a struggle really.
> 
> Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed the story. I think I've got one more story I'm going to transfer from FFN to here, also Pitch Perfect related. But for now, this is one finished :) Thank you for all the support.


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